MORE THAN 10 000 festinoes gathered at this years Castle Lager East Cape Biltong festival over the weekend. We are already looking forward to next years festival.
PERFECT WEATHER, A GREAT LINE-UP
AND THE AMAZING CROWD SURE
MADE THE 23RD CASTLE LAGER EAST
CAPE BILTONG FESTIVAL ONE TO
Looking back at the past weekend it was a different picture than what the Festival experienced last year. The weather was fine, the crowd amazing and the line-up a great mix of some of the best entertainers on the South African Music scene.
The Castle Lager East Cape Biltong Festival started on Friday, 12 July with the over 18 local talent groups taking on the stage and showing everyone what they are made of. The Cheese, wine and venison tasting took place at the Tourism Hub, giving guests insight into different wines and complementary cheeses as well as how to prepare venison paired with a tasting. The line-up of show-stopping artists such as Snotkop, Adam Tas, Emo Adams and Khaya, all took to the Castle Lager Gig Rig Stage.
Day two of the festival, kicked into full swing with lines of festival goers eager to enter the festival venue. With the temperature said to have reached 25 degrees during the day, Saturday definitely was a good day for golf with some of the festival goers starting their day with a round of golf at the Somerset East Golf Club for the Castle Lager East Cape Biltong Festival Golf Day. The day also saw the under 18 local talent stars have their chance to shine at ‘Bokjol’.
Day two also saw the likes of Anton Myburgh, Rooies, Melissa, Zahara, Karlien van Jaarsveld, Jay, Theuns Jordaan, Ghapi and MiCasa took to the stage. Their performances had the crowd on their feet all day and night. Henk Grimsell kept the party going both on Friday and Saturday in the Castle Lager Beer tent.
As is expected at the Festival, the hundreds of stalls, the entertainment and the carnival rides, all part of the festivities this past weekend, again made this the Karoo festival to remember. All in all, it was another successful year for the Castle Lager East Cape Biltong Festival. Thank you for all who came out to ‘hang’ with us at the 2013 Castle Lager East Cape Biltong Festival.
For the photographs from the 2013 Castle Lager East Cape Biltong Festival as well as other information, visit www.eastcapebiltongfestival.co.za. You can also visit www.facebook.com/biltongfestival or follow us on Twitter
STEPHANUS MALAN, president van die SA Boerbok-telersvereniging.
‘n Topklas Boerbokram.
Boerbokbedryf se Ledetal
DIT IS HARTSEER dat die boerbokbedryf nie in die geweldige wêreldwye vraag na teelmateriaal kan voorsien nie, aangesien Suid-Afrika nog nie sy bek-en-klou-seer vry status herwin het nie.
Suid-Afrika se Bek-en-Klou-seer vry status is in Maart 2011 opgeskort. Die Internasionale Organisasie vir Dieregesondheid het onlangs ‘n aansoek van Suid-Afrika om die status op te hef van die hand gewys.
Dit terwyl die bedryf se ledetal die afgelope dekade verdubbel het.
Dit is die mening van die president van die SA Boerboktelersvereniging, Stephanus Malan. Volgens hom is die bedryf baie bekommerd dat die lande wat van die teelmateriaal wil invoer hulle na ander lande sal wend, wat groot verlies aan buitelandse valuta tot gevolg sal hê as gevolg van die “voetslepery” aan regeringskant om die status weer in plek te kry.
“Daar is in die verlede na verskeie lande teelmateriaal uitgevoer deur middel van embrio’s sowel as lewendige diere en van die telers het ook aangedui dat hulle in nog teelmateriaal sou belangstel indien ons huidige bek-en-klou-seer status opgehef word.
“Dus, as ons internasionaal na die boerbokbedryf kyk is daar baie belangstelling , meer as enige ander ras in Suid-Afrika, maar ons sal ons huis in orde moet kry om aan hierdie behoefte te voorsien. Op Suid Afrikaanse bodem is boerbokke van ons winsgewendste rasse om mee te boer en boerbokvleis die duurste rooivleis in SA.
“Die bedryf groei steeds wat toegeskryf word aan boere wat van hul angoras verminder het en in sommige gevalle daarvan ontslae geraak het as gevolg van arbeid en roofdiere.
“Boere in die noorde van die land waar daar voorheen nie met boerbokke geboer is nie het ook nou die mark betree en is tans die grootste kopers van teelmateriaal. Ons ledetal by die vereniging staan tans by net oor die 400 lede, waar dit slegs +- 200 lede was in 2003,” aldus Malan.
Hy sê boerboktelers ondervind ook probleme met predatore, maar in ‘n mindere mate as ander kleinveerasse, aangesien boerbokooie redelik aggressief is wanneer hulle klein bokkies het en sal hulle die lammers beskerm met hul horings.
“Een van ons grootste uitdagings is om bokvleis volhoubaar op winkelrakke te kan voorsien, maar daarvoor het ons meer telers nodig en dus meer bokke. Dit is bekend dat die vleis baie laag is aan cholesterol en die hartstigting se embleem verskyn daarop as hartvriendelik. Dit is egter duur vleis en daarom kan dit in die begin as n nisproduk gesien word.
“Ons is tans besig om alle stoetbokke by stamboek te registreer en van ons lede is al reeds etlike jare besig met vrywillige prestasie-toetsing. Boerbokke is baie vrugbaar en lampersentasies van 120-200% is nie ongewoon nie, iets wat ons ten alle koste moet behou.
“Verdere uitdagings vir die bedryf, “sê Malan, “is om boerbokke nog geharder en aanpasbaarder te maak en om lammers te teel wat alreeds op vier maande ‘n 18 kg karkas kan lewer.
“Laastens moet ons as boerboktelers, boerbokke ‘n ekstensiewe ras hou en nie in ‘n voerkraalbok begin teel nie, aldus Malan.
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