Afrikaner — buy or sell

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Breed history: Afrikaner (or Afrikander) is a breed of cattle that is an integral part of the history and culture of South Africa. This indigenous breed belongs to the Santa group, which includes ancient breeds of African cattle. Afrikaners are primarily raised for meat production and are considered the most popular local breed in South Africa. The history of Afrikaners dates back to ancient times. They were brought to South Africa by the Khoikhoi people as early as the first century AD. The first owners of these cattle were the Khoikhoi, who passed them on to Dutch colonists in 1652. The latter appreciated the endurance and strength of Afrikaners and began using them as draft animals. It was the Afrikaner oxen that pulled the wagons of the Boers during the Great Trek of 1835-1836, when they migrated deeper into the continent. By the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, Afrikaners were on the brink of extinction. An outbreak of cattle plague and the war in South Africa dealt a severe blow to the population. However, thanks to the efforts of farmers, the surviving herds allowed the breed to be revived. In 1912, the first Afrikaner breeding society was established in South Africa, which contributed to its further development. In the early 20th century, the breed again faced the threat of extinction due to the destruction during the Second Anglo-Boer War and an outbreak of plague. After the war, breeding improvement programs were developed, which allowed the breed not only to survive but also to spread beyond South Africa. In 1923, it was proposed to send Afrikaners to the USA, and in 1932, the US government imported a herd to improve local breeds along the Gulf Coast. In 1953, Afrikaners arrived in Australia, where they began to be studied for adaptation to the local climate. Today, the Afrikaner is a successful meat breed that is popular not only in South Africa but also in other countries around the world. Exterior: The Afrikaner is a large breed of cattle with long legs and well-developed musculature, indicating their meat production orientation. Adult cows weigh between 525–600 kg, while bulls weigh between 750–1000 kg. There are also true giants: bulls weighing over 1100 kg and cows over 800 kg. The height at the withers of Afrikaners is impressive. Adult individuals can reach 152 cm at the withers. The average height of bulls is 143 cm, while cows measure 115 cm (which is remarkable).

What to feed

Diet: The Afrikaner cow is very resilient and can live even in harsh conditions where there is little food and water. Afrikaner bulls raised on regular grass with the addition of phosphorus and salt weigh an average of 250 kg at 27–30 months of age. This is a very good result, considering they do not receive much special feed. Of course, Afrikaners feel best in pastures. However, during dry periods, the grass burns out, and the cows may start to starve. They particularly lack calcium and phosphorus, which negatively affects their health and productivity. To address this issue, farmers use various methods. Throughout the year, cows are given mineral supplements with calcium and phosphorus. They can also be fed grain, but this is expensive, as the grain has to be imported from other countries. In some farms, cows are fed bran and brewer's grains—these are useful and nutritious by-products from factories. However, not all farmers have the means to obtain them. Another method is to prepare straw and plant residues after harvesting for winter, such as peanut foliage. Some farmers grow special forage crops, such as lablab or dark purple macroptilium. They grow well even in areas with little water and are excellent feed for cows. Sometimes cows are supplemented with chicken manure, but it must first be specially processed to avoid infecting the cows with diseases, and such supplementation should not be overused.

Physical parameters

Male Weight: 110–143 kg

Female weight: 90–115 kg

Male height: 750–1000 cm

Female height: 525–600 cm

Habitat Range

Afghanistan Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antigua & Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia & Herzegovina Botswana Brazil British Virgin Islands Brunei Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cape Verde Caribbean Netherlands Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Colombia Comoros Congo - Brazzaville Congo - Kinshasa Cook Islands Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Curaçao Cyprus Czechia Côte d’Ivoire Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Estonia Eswatini Ethiopia Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guernsey Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Honduras Hong Kong SAR China Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Isle of Man Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jersey Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Kosovo Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Laos Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macao SAR China Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Morocco Mozambique Myanmar (Burma) Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria North Korea North Macedonia Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Palestinian Territories Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Romania Russia Rwanda Réunion Samoa San Marino Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Sint Maarten Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Korea South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka St. Kitts & Nevis St. Lucia St. Martin St. Vincent & Grenadines Sudan Suriname Sweden Switzerland Syria São Tomé & Príncipe Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tonga Trinidad & Tobago Tunisia Turkmenistan Turks & Caicos Islands Tuvalu Türkiye U.S. Virgin Islands Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela Vietnam Wallis & Futuna Western Sahara Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe Åland Islands

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Afrikaner weigh?

Adult animal: male — 110–143 kg, female — 90–115 kg.

How tall is Afrikaner?

Height at the withers: male — 750–1000 cm, female — 525–600 cm.

Where does Afrikaner come from?

Country of origin — South Africa.

Where is Afrikaner bred?

The breed is common in: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, American Samoa, Andorra, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda.

What should Afrikaner be fed?

Diet: The Afrikaner cow is very resilient and can live even in harsh conditions where there is little food and water.

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