Dr Gerhard H Verdoorn

South Africa can presently boast with more game than 100 years ago. This is mainly the result of good conservation practices followed by SANparks, provincial conservation authorities and private landowners over decades.

A significant percentage of South Africa’s game is to be found in private game reserves, on game farms, or on farms where mixed farming is practised. Although the game on these farms are free ranging, they still present challenges as a result of them being locked-in in areas with fixed borders. One of the main challenges is to maintain a balanced ecology in a small area where the influence of weather conditions, grazing habits and human activity are much more pronounced than in a wilderness environment.

Grazing, water, covert, rest, breeding and escape areas are important for game to proliferate and maintain healthy numbers. At a glance grazing may seem to be sufficient but, when judged in terms of microscopic and mineral content values, it may be absolutely inadequate for game. It is worthwhile for the game farmer to have a chemical analysis of his farm’s soil and vegetation undertaken to ascertain if the mineral and nutritional values of the flora is sufficient to maintain a healthy game environment.

Most livestock farmers provide supplementary feed for their animals, and game farmers who are serious about the health of their game herds do the same – thus a parallel situation. Several feed companies offer special game lick blocks for game with common salt as basis and which can be placed under cover in the veld to provide game with supplementary nutrition.

It may also be necessary to supplement minerals depending on what is indicated by analyses of the soil and water. Some elements, such as copper, phosphate, calcium, chrome, magnesium and fluorine, may either be sufficient, too little or even in excess depending on the soil. This can have a dramatic influence on animal health. Mineral and basic element imbalances can be rectified with the necessary additives to ensure better health and fecundity of game herds as commercial farming livestock.

However, the biggest headache of the game farmer in South African is the periodic droughts that ravage all parts of the country and that can have a devastating effect on the commercial game stock. It results in frenetic competition for the available dry grazing and the game farmer may have to spend a fortune on feeding his animals.

Grasses, such as teff and buffalo grass given as dry fodder, may support game to withstand the drought, but additional nutrition is a given – it may even be required to treat dry game fodder chemically to enhance digestibility. However, in times like, these farmers have to be careful with their feeding program as too much additional fodder may have adverse effects on the rumen of game. Consult feed company experts to compile the best balanced feeding program.

Where the tannin content level of some tree species virtually cancel its value, a product such as BrowsePlus may be added to drinking water to assist game in dealing with the tannin and make it possible to utilise the available nutrients of the plant. Tannin management becomes increasingly important when the natural grazing dries up and plants tend to stress.

On farms where over-grazing depleted the plant cover over the years, the veld may be able to recover under correct management. Today farmers should be grateful because there are commercial undertakings that supply balanced seed mixtures of indigenous grass species for varying habitats. The seed is sown to augment the veld flora and enhance recuperation. Though the initial outlay may be high, the value of these grasses as natural grazing for game is incalculable in the end.

It may be imperative initially to fence the newly sown areas to give the grass a head start to establish unhindered. The best departure point for healthy game grazing, however, may be to manage with a view to maintain a sustainable ecology. Over-population of veld is detrimental; rather carry a little under capacity than over-graze. When there are signs of a coming drought, it is wise to cull game herds to avoid the animals devastating their grazing, resulting in forced culling and maybe putting an end to a commercial enterprise. It is also wise to avoid introducing game species which do not fit ecologically in the region because they will normally require special support.

Furthermore farmers should keep a wary eye to spy the intrusion of invasive plants such as swarthaak (Acacia mellifera), sekelbos (Dichrostachus pp.), wild raisin (Grewia spp.), wild currant (taaibos) and common locust (driedoring), which could make the veld useless for farm stock and game. Weeding out may be necessary and weed killers should be used with care, following the instructions on the label meticulously, to assist the flora in deriving an advantage and not be detrimentally influenced because of residual effect.

Much can be said about breeding and selection and criticising can be courting trouble. The author’s personal philosophy is not to meddle but allow nature to follow its course. There are so many colour variations in antelope nowadays that it is sometimes difficult to recognise what is what. Natural colour variations are normal in nature, such as black Springbok, but they represent a very small percentage of the population. Where breeding is specifically aimed at colour variation, the gene pool is minimised and these ‘artificial’ animals are probably more prone to environmental stress such as drought, cold, parasites and diseases.

Game with diverse genetic input is probably the best option for the farmer who desires a no-nonsense game herd. This requires regular acquisition of new animals. It is easy to ascertain genetic diversity by taking samples from animals when hunting and having it analysed. Today laboratories can do analysis quickly, indicate to the farmer what the in-breeding index of a species is, and then make suggestions for the necessity of introducing new breeding stock to boost diversity.

A herd of healthy grazing impala in the veld their sleek glossy rumps is a boon in the eye of the beholder and an aesthetic and monetary asset to the farmer. This dream can come true for every game farmer who follows correct habitat management where game receives balanced feed with the required supplements, and where genetic diversity is positively maintained whenever possible.

For more information, contact Dr Gerhard H Verdoorn of the Griffon Poison Information Centre and CropLife South Africa on 082-446-8946 or send an email message to nesher@tiscali.co.za.