30 Apr 2015

They call it “a god with a wet nose” which is symbolic of the reverence Batswana accord cattle. Accordingly, there is no doubt, therefore, that cattle are Botswana’s economic mainstay besides serving as a direct source of livelihood for the rural folk and peri-urban dwellers.

Thus, notwithstanding the multifaceted challenges such as drought, diseases, stock theft and lack of rearing space, the cattle industry still remains close to the hearts of many Batswana, both young and old.

One such youth who enjoys an undying love and passion for cattle is former Ministry of Youth, Sport and Culture’s Out of School Youth Grant beneficiary, 34-year old Segolame Olemogile of Rasetimela ward in Bobonong. He keeps close to 150 herds of cattle at Maiswe lands.

Mr Olemogile also known in the area as Skaizer got funding under the out of school programme in 2006 for a brick moulding project. He says he grew his business to a level that enabled him to diversify to cattle farming.

The youthful Skaizer is beating all the odds in Zone 7, an area known for reccurrence of Foot and Mouth Disease, frequent drought and at some stage rampant stock theft. However, against such challenges his business is thriving. he used  proceeds his brick moulding project to venture into cattle.

“I was given P50 000 as a grant by the ministry to expand the brick moulding project in 2006 after two failed bids”, he recalls. I further invested the profit I made into the project while on one hand I bought some cattle just out of curiosity, he adds.

Traditionally, some Batswana keep cattle as a status symbol but for Skaizer cattle are a lucrative business that puts bread on the table. The youthful farmer, who among his flock boasts pure Simmental and Brahman bulls, indicates that his two businesses complement each other in that he managed to buy delivery trucks from part of the proceeds.

Skaizer advises the youth not to shun the cattle industry given the moos have a huge economic potential to extricate one from poverty.

However, Skaizer is buffled that youth in Bobirwa area resent farming unlike their counterparts in the southern part of the country who take farming as a fully-fledged business capable of making one rich.

For him, each and every venture has its own challenges but such must be turned into opportunities. He says he had observed from agricultural shows that cattle prices were more or less the same in the country despite FMD, saying what matters most is the quality of the breeds.

It is not advisable to keep large herds that take time to mature given they attract low prices, he says, noting that profit comes from quality breeds. Good quality animals such as Simmentals, he says, are suitable for Zone 7 since they adapt well and produce quality beef. He says he sells cattle in their prime while they are between six and eight months and for such, buyers offer very attractive prices of above P10 000 for each animal.

At times some buyers go to the extent of booking for unborn calves as soon as they realise  the cows are pregnant. If one keeps quality breeds, the business markets itself with much ease, reckons Skaizer.

He pleads that the recurrance of FMD in Zone 7 should not be an excuse for one to shun cattle altogether. Nonetheless, he admits that given the drought and FMD in the area, the market was a bit limited but he finds solace in the fact that cattle prices remain the same throughout the country.

In the next five years, says Skaizer, he wants to rear Simbra breeds which are a Simmental and Brahman hybrid. Also, he wants to approach financial institutions such as CEDA and National Development Bank (NDB) to assist him drill a borehole.

He advises that to be successful in business one should conduct research and market survey coupled with passion and love for the envisaged business in addition to having a mentor. Skaizers mentions among others Bobonong MP, Mr Shaw Kgathi, Masole Dialwa and a farmer in Jwaneng, Mr Mompati Bolokang, as some of the people who inspire him to work harder.

Skaizer’s source of information is the internet, farmers’ magazines, workshops, besides attending courses on animal breeding as well as district shows.
His message to the youth is that patience, love and dedication are a vital cog in any business. Youth who receive government funding should aim at growing their businesses  for a sustainable future. Ends