The world’s largest cattle feedlot is expanding South African beef exports beyond the Middle East to take advantage of surging demand in China and other Asian markets.

In an industry with a history of sustainability and ethics, one thing stands out more than anything else: love.

Soft, luxurious, warm and timeless. It’s difficult to imagine mohair as anything other than a lovely scarf, but the fact is, the true story behind its production is almost as beautiful - and very important to the South African economy.

Mohair is a fibre derived from the fleece of Angora goats and the industry supports more than 800 South African farms and an estimated 30,000 dependents. Fifty percent of the world’s mohair is produced in SA, under strict guidelines of sustainability that have been in continual development since 2009.
Image: Supplied
It’s all about the goats

Aside from the numbers, though, it’s all about the goats. These gentle, somewhat charismatic creatures are at the heart of a farming industry that is driven by ethics and expertise. Angora farmers have a deep understanding of their goats that only a farmer who loves his animals can have. They’re a passionate bunch who regard the well-being of their livestock as an abiding commitment that is beyond question.

Many of South Africa’s Angora farms have been in production for more than a century, with knowledge and skills passed down through generations. As such, mohair production in SA is as much a commercial enterprise as it is a family legacy. Of course, profitability is important, too, and is intrinsically linked to how the goats are treated and cared for.

Cows born without horns or pigs that never reach puberty? These scenarios could become a reality soon thanks to new gene-editing tools.
A company wants to alter farm animals by adding and subtracting genetic traits in a lab.

The South African agricultural industry is in a good place, which often gets overshadowed by broader policy discussions.

There is a lot of good going for the South African agricultural industry, which often gets overshadowed by policy discussions.

SA poultry farmers must raise their efficiency to compete, says Ted McKinney, undersecretary for trade and foreign agricultural affairs in the US agriculture department.