The crème de la crème of Farm Signalberg’s finest Meatmaster rams will be on offer tomorrow at the southern settlement of Grünau, where the renowned Signalberg stable will hold its 10th ram auction. 

In total, over 55 Meatmaster rams will go under the hammer, and potential buyers will have an opportunity to select and buy one of the top rams, while 30 Meatmaster ewes and about 10 Meatmaster ewes with lambs will also be on auction. 

Farm Signalberg, which started with its first Meatmasters in 2009 and now boasts almost 700 registered ewes, is situated 20km from Grünau on the B1 road to Keetmanshoop. Turn left after 11km on the tarred road, and continue along the gravel road for 9 km.

All the rams that will grace tomorrow’s auction have been fully tested for fertility, hardiness, meat and herd bound. The auction will be conducted both on-site and online. 

Signalberg’s foremost rams, such as Smoke Signal, Van Gogh and many other highly promising young rams, will all be on offer tomorrow, while a handful of young ewes and some with lambs will also be available.

The rams have also been tested against Brucella Ovis, which infects sheep by causing a clinical or subclinical disease that is characterised by genital lesions and reduced fertility in rams, placentitis and abortions in ewes, as well as increased perinatal mortality in lambs.

The Meatmaster is an indigenous Damara sheep that is crossed with another sheep breed. 

The most common cross is with a Dorper, but many of the first Meatmasters were crossed with breeds such as the Ile de France or the Van Rooy. They are particularly farmed to produce a hardy, fertile animal with a carcass that will not be penalised at the abattoir. 

The Meatmaster is a non-selective grazer and browser, which means it can optimise any available food resource and does not damage the veld by overgrazing a preferred plant species.

- ohembapu@nepc.com.na