We're farmers, not nutritionists
We're farmers, not nutritionists. We originally got involved in bush feed out of necessity during a major drought. Since 2011, we have been sharing our practical boskos experience with the intention to help other farmers who are facing similar struggles feeding their animals.
Two birds, one stone
In Namibia, most farmers have two problems: feeding their animals, and managing the bush on their farms. Why not address both at the same time?
We discourage the excessive use of chemicals to manage encroachment bush. Those chemicals just end up back in the water supply of your animals, your crops, and your family. Instead, we try to encourage farmers to use the bush sustainably. As it turns out, you can use encroachment bush to manufacture feed for cattle, sheep, goats, and wild game. |
Our experience, your guide
We've compiled and condensed our boskos experience into this website. The information and advice we provide can be used as good starting place or basic guide for your own bush feed operation. We recommend that professional help is obtained when deviating from our basic recommendations, and we can't be held accountable if any damages or injuries occur.
This section is updated regularly as new information and methods become available. We recommend you visit this page regularly to stay up-to-date. If you have any questions, please reach out to us. |
Our Boskos Story
Boskos is the word on almost every farmer's lips during the time of droughts and feed crises. That was also the case in our situation.
The average yearly rainfall in our area is 350mm, but in 2010-2011, we had an above-average rain year with 1300 mm.
In September of 2011, lightning set fire to one of the mountain ranges near our farm. We believed we were well-prepared for a veld fire, but 80% of our 7000Ha farm burned in less than 6 hours.
We were not really worried because it was September and time for the "small rain season." However, when we only got 20mm of rain, we realized the writing was on the wall. We began to buy grass and alfalfa but quickly realized that was not sustainable. At that time, we had 650 head of cattle and a variety of game--and they all needed to be fed.
We spent many hours praying, researching, reading, and making plans.
We built a fodder room wherein we germinated barley seeds and mielies, and we produced 1 ton of fodder every day. The problem, however, was that this fodder couldn't be fed alone and had to be mixed with 40% roughage. It was somehting that we didn't have. Further, the price for delivered barley seeds tripled during the drought.
One day, we suddenly wondered why we couldn't switch to using the bush, since we had so much of it and it looked like grass. We began on a small scale and suddenly realized that here came a solution.
Many people had told us that cattle and sheep don't eat bush and that it would never work. I think now, over 10 years later, we know that's not the case and there is unbelievable value in the bush on my farm.
We quickly realized that the bush isn't just a solution for emergency feed during the drought. It can actually be used for an outstanding growth feed as well. With our growth feed mix, we recorded an average 1.5kg weight gain per day on good cross-breed cattle. The highest growth on a Limousin/Bonsmara cross was 2.25kg per day.
After this, it soon became clear to us that we were sitting with a large portion of the bush that was harvested but not used. This made us realize that we must use the whole bush to make the process more profitable. At the moment, we split the bush by thickness into these uses:
It quickly became clear to us that bush feed doesn't have to just be a tool for surviving droughts. Bush feed can be a proactive asset to more quickly grow animals and get them ready for market.
Our message to fellow farmers that are discouraged, don't know how they will keep their promises, are struggling to keep their animals alive, or aren't sure how they will make it through the drought is this:
Meneer/Mevrou, you are finally a millionaire but you just don't realize it yet. Your farm that is encroached by bush has enormous commercial value. We get it for free. We just have to use it sustainably.
The average yearly rainfall in our area is 350mm, but in 2010-2011, we had an above-average rain year with 1300 mm.
In September of 2011, lightning set fire to one of the mountain ranges near our farm. We believed we were well-prepared for a veld fire, but 80% of our 7000Ha farm burned in less than 6 hours.
We were not really worried because it was September and time for the "small rain season." However, when we only got 20mm of rain, we realized the writing was on the wall. We began to buy grass and alfalfa but quickly realized that was not sustainable. At that time, we had 650 head of cattle and a variety of game--and they all needed to be fed.
We spent many hours praying, researching, reading, and making plans.
We built a fodder room wherein we germinated barley seeds and mielies, and we produced 1 ton of fodder every day. The problem, however, was that this fodder couldn't be fed alone and had to be mixed with 40% roughage. It was somehting that we didn't have. Further, the price for delivered barley seeds tripled during the drought.
One day, we suddenly wondered why we couldn't switch to using the bush, since we had so much of it and it looked like grass. We began on a small scale and suddenly realized that here came a solution.
Many people had told us that cattle and sheep don't eat bush and that it would never work. I think now, over 10 years later, we know that's not the case and there is unbelievable value in the bush on my farm.
We quickly realized that the bush isn't just a solution for emergency feed during the drought. It can actually be used for an outstanding growth feed as well. With our growth feed mix, we recorded an average 1.5kg weight gain per day on good cross-breed cattle. The highest growth on a Limousin/Bonsmara cross was 2.25kg per day.
After this, it soon became clear to us that we were sitting with a large portion of the bush that was harvested but not used. This made us realize that we must use the whole bush to make the process more profitable. At the moment, we split the bush by thickness into these uses:
- Anything thinner than 25mm is used for feed
- Anything between 25-40mm + the roots go back into the ground for fertilization
- Anything thicker than 40mm is used for firewood or charcoal
It quickly became clear to us that bush feed doesn't have to just be a tool for surviving droughts. Bush feed can be a proactive asset to more quickly grow animals and get them ready for market.
Our message to fellow farmers that are discouraged, don't know how they will keep their promises, are struggling to keep their animals alive, or aren't sure how they will make it through the drought is this:
Meneer/Mevrou, you are finally a millionaire but you just don't realize it yet. Your farm that is encroached by bush has enormous commercial value. We get it for free. We just have to use it sustainably.
CONTACT US
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Ankawini Safari Ranch
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