26 Aug 2018

Lemcke Ranches has been awarded the 2018 National Agricultural Show Grand Champion of the yard, instantly becoming P13 452 richer.

This is the third time in a row the Ghanzi beef breeder won the prize.

It won it in 2016, 2017 and again this year.

The Grand Champion of the yard named Rambo by the herd boys is a 38-month-old red Brahman weighing more than one tonne.

Then owner, Mr Christiaan Lemcke emphasised hard work among other farmers, saying he and his company were proud of what they had produced.“

The farm started 38 years ago and it was as if there was no hope of prosperity with no electricity, but we thought that was the best time of our lives because we proved that we could do it and we have managed.

We were the first farm to be on Mnet,” he said.

Mr Lemcke said his company thought the bull was the best in Southern African, a thought shared by other people from Angola, Namibia and some Batswana.

He said the ranch specialised in Brahman, Simmental, Charolaise and Simbra breeds and fed them maize stalk from Zambia with concentrate from Nutrifeed.

The farm also won Class 1-Champion Beef Heifer (0 teeth), Class 4-Champion Beef Heifer (two teeth), Class 14-Champion Beef Junior Bull (two teeth and Class 15- four teeth the same category), Class 18- Champion Dual Purpose Junior Bull (four teeth) and Class 20-Champion Beef Senior BullSandenon Farm of Serowe belonging to former defence minister, Mr Ramadeluka Seretse scooped second prize, Class 2-Reserve Grand Champion of the yard and P7 952 cash prize.Mr Seretse said commercial farmers faced a challenge of low prizes by the Botswana Meat Commission which also took time to pay.

He noted that though farming in Botswana was difficult because of scarcity of rain, every Motswana with land must view it as a place with potential to feed the nation.

“I have ventured into vegetable farming, but the market of such products in Botswana belongs to chain stores.

Farmers have to form cooperatives and government should close boarders because in that way we would be able to have a say in pricing of our products,” he said.

Other champions were won by the Herbst family of Hildavale, Mr Tshepho Masire of Bonyamabogo Ranch, Grandin Stud of Ghanzi, Inchwe Estates of Francistown, Tholo Holdings in Gabane and Deo Volente Dairies of Hildavale.

The show had other categories such as slaughter classes and the best Synthetic breeds of beef animals.

In his welcome remarks, Ministry of Agricultural Development and Food Security deputy permanent secretary, Mr Jimmy Opelo thanked the exhibitors, saying it had been a long year.

He said they all looked forward to achieving their vision and as such everybody was a winner.

“Though we have special winners, this is an event to make every farmer feel happy and relaxed,” he said.

Haskins & Sons marketing director said the ministry of agriculture was looking for partners to grow agriculture and that as long as his company was happy, they would stand with the ministry.

“To farmers passion is the name. Farmers must be at their farms, it is very important. We are passionate about farming and we want to deal with passionate people,” he said. ENDS