Membership is open to Afrikaner stud-breeders. To join, stud breeders need to fill in a registration form and agree to comply with the rules and regulations of the Afrikaner Cattle Breeders' Society of South Africa.
Enrolment fees need to be paid before the application will be accepted. Annual Afrikaner Cattle Breeders' Society of South Africa membership is charged from then on, along with an additional amount based on the number of animals participating in the program.
All Afrikaner Cattle Breeders' Society of South Africa members are required to participate in performance testing to monitor the growth and performance of animals. New members have up to three years to start participation. Animals that do not comply with certain minimum standards have to be culled. They may not be used for reproductive purposes in the stud or be sold as a stud animal.
Reproduction values of all female animals need to be recorded and the Agricultural Research Centre in partnership with the Afrikaner Cattle Breeders Society will notify farmers of animals that do not comply with the minimum reproductive standards. Farmers then have three months to rectify the conditions, or else the animal will be deregistered as a stud animal. A heifer should calve before or at 42 months of age, with inter-calving periods not exceeding 790 days.
All animals need to be marked, according to the prescribed manner, to ease identification and recordkeeping.
Afrikaner cattle originated from wild cattle on the Asian steppes. Afrikaner cattle are produced throughout South Africa, as well as in some...