Farms
Mixed farming [Rocking Seven Ranching (Pty) Ltd]
The Sparta Group farms on 12000ha of farm land in the Marquard and Clocolan districts.
On these farms calves are backgrounded, maize is produced for the feedlot and wheat is grown as a rotation crop.
Rocking Seven Ranching backgrounding program is specifically designed to grow young calves to an acceptable size and weight for entry into the feedlot. Calves are identified by geographic source, farm of origin if applicable, cattle buyer, breed, sex and body weight.
Young calves (45,000 – 55,000/yr) are sourced through cattle saleyards across South Africa and Namibia. Upon arrival calves are fed, identified, treated (e.g. vaccinated) and sorted to unique growing groups. Calves exposure to feedlot cattle is minimized to suppress transmission of disease.
The calves are placed on improved grass and/or annual winter pastures in conjunction with a high quality protein and mineral supplement to insure calves realize their full genetic potential for body growth.
The Rocking Seven Ranching calves are grown to increase skeleton and muscle size/weight for approximately 100 days. Once calves have been adequately grown they are brought into the feedlot to complete a heavier body weight feeding program.
Through the Rocking Seven Ranching program Sparta recognizes these calves to have superior feedlot performance as well as expressing excellent meat quality characteristics.
Fast Facts
- 12 000 hectares of farmland is farmed in the Marquard and Clocolan districts.
- Approximately 45 000 - 55 000 calves per annum are back-grounded for the feedlot and for external sale to other cattle feedlots.
- 10 000 - 23 000 Calves are on the farms at any given time.
- Maize is produced for the feedlot and wheat is produced as a rotation crop.
- Pastures are planted for the calves.
- High standards of production require continuous review of new agricultural technology in identifying methods or potential products to trial within our farming practices and environment.
- Fertilisation programs include manure and compost from our own feedlot.
