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Management considerations and financial implications for sustainable beef cattle integration in winter cereal systems in the Swartland
Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2026.
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2026
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| _version_ | 1869484157051076608 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Sandile, Nkambule |
| author2 | Mapiye, Obvious |
| author_browse | Mapiye, Obvious Sandile, Nkambule |
| author_facet | Mapiye, Obvious Sandile, Nkambule |
| author_sort | Sandile, Nkambule |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2026. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/136084 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-07-01T04:10:25.505Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| publishDateRange | 2026 |
| publishDateSort | 2026 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/136084 Management considerations and financial implications for sustainable beef cattle integration in winter cereal systems in the Swartland Sandile, Nkambule Mapiye, Obvious Hoffmann, Willem Stellenbosch University. Faculty of AgriSciences. Dept. of Agricultural Economics. Wheat -- South Africa -- Swartland Agriculture -- Economic aspects -- South Africa -- Swartland Climatic changes -- South Africa -- Western Cape Sustainable agriculture -- South Africa -- Western Cape Farm management -- Economic aspects Beef cattle -- Breeding -- South Africa -- Swartland Integrated crop–livestock systems -- Management Crop rotation Climatic factors UCTD Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2026. Sandile, N. 2026. Management Considerations and Financial Implications for Sustainable Beef Cattle Integration in Winter Cereal Systems in the Swartland. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/157c4b2b-9a74-41ab-a8d8-7a42efebbbf3 ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Wheat-based farming systems in South Africa’s Swartland region are central to national wheat supply, food security and livelihoods, yet face mounting pressures from climate variability, soil degradation, rising input costs and increasing stock theft. Traditional monoculture and intensive tillage practices have led to declining yields and soil degradation, prompting a shift toward conservation agriculture (CA) and diversified crop rotations. Integrated crop–livestock systems (ICLS), especially those incorporating sheep, have demonstrated improved soil health, nutrient cycling, and farm profitability. However, sheep-based systems encounter limitations, including suboptimal utilisation of tall cover crops and heightened vulnerability to stock theft, motivating interest in beef cattle integration as a potential alternative or complement. This thesis addresses the critical gap in empirical evidence regarding the management and financial consequences of substituting sheep with beef cattle in the Swartland. The objectives of the study involve (i) synthesizing global and regional evidence on ICLS sustainability, (ii) assessing the historical financial performance of sheep within Langgewens long-term crop rotation trials (LTCRT), (iii) determining sustainable beef cattle stocking rates and associated management practices, and (iv) comparing the gross margin (GM) performance of sheep and cattle under equivalent forage conditions. The research adopts a mixed-methods, systems-oriented approach, combining long-term experimental data from the LTCRT, and expert consultations and, systematic literature review. Enterprise budgets were developed for sheep and a speculative steer-based system using standardised Large Stock Units (LSU) - Small Stock Units (SSU) conversions and CA-compatible forage availability assumptions. Gross margins were expressed on a per-hectare basis, and sensitivity analysis explored cattle GM responses to beef price variation. Results show that sheep-based systems generated consistently higher baseline GMs per hectare (approx. R6,020/ha). In contrast, cattle enterprises, when scaled to equivalent grazing intensity, initially yield lower GMs (approx. R5,079/ha), but their profitability is highly responsive to beef price increases and less susceptible to theft-related losses. Sensitivity analysis indicates that a 10–15% rise in beef prices can render cattle systems equally or more profitable than sheep. Sustainable cattle stocking rates (3.2–4.4 steers/ha) are achievable without breaching CA principles, provided rotational grazing and residue management are carefully applied. Thus, the analysis suggests that cattle integration becomes increasingly attractive under conditions of high sheep theft risk, labour scarcity, and strategic prioritisation of residue management and soil protection within CA systems. However, cattle enterprises require more initial investment in fencing, water infrastructure and handling facilities, yet can reduce day-to-day labour and align well with seasonal grazing windows. The study concludes that while sheep-based ICLS remain economically advantageous under typical conditions, beef cattle integration offers strategic benefits in high-theft or labour-constrained contexts and enhances ecological resilience through improved residue utilization and nutrient cycling. Successful adoption requires context-specific management, robust infrastructure, and flexible market strategies. The findings offer a decision-support benchmark for farmers, advisors and policymakers considering livestock reconfiguration in cereal–livestock systems, and highlight the need for future whole-farm, multi-criteria assessments that jointly track economic returns, soil indicators and social outcomes. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Koringgebaseerde boerderystelsels in Suid-Afrika se Swartland-streek is sentraal tot nasionale koringvoorsiening, voedselsekerheid en lewensonderhoud, maar staar toenemende druk in die gesig van klimaatsveranderlikheid, grondagteruitgang, stygende insetkoste en toenemende veediefstal. Tradisonele monokultuur en intensiewe bewerkingspraktyke het gelei tot dalende opbrengste en gronddegrasie, wat ‘n verskuiwing na konserwatiewe landbou (KL) en gediversifiseerde gewasrotasies tot gevolg gehad het. Geintegreerde gewas-veestelsels (GVB), veral die wat skape insluit, het verbeterde grondgesondheid, voedingstofsiklusse en plaaswinsgewendheid getoon. Skaapgebaseerde stelsels ondervind egter beperkings, insluitend suboptimale benutting van lang dekgewasse en verhoogde kwesbaarheid vir veediefstal, wat belangstelling in vleisbeesintegrasie as ‘n potensiele alternatief of aanvulling motiveer. Hierde tesis spreek die kritieke gaping in empiriese bewyse aan rakende die bestuurs-en finansiele gevolge van die vervanging van skape met vleisbeeste in die Swartland. Die doelwitte van die studie behels die sintetisering van globale en streeksbewyse oor GVB volhoubaarheid, om die historiese finansiele prestasie van skape binne Langgwens langtermyn-gewasrotasieproewe (LTCRT) te bepaal, on volhoubaar vleisbeeste se veebesettingsyfers en gepaardgaande bestuurspraktyke te bepaal, en om die bruto marge (GM) prestasie van skape en beeste onder ekwivalente voertoestande te vergelyk. Die navorsing volg ‘n gemengde navorsingsmetode, ‘n stelselgeorienteerde benadering, wat langtermyn eksperimentele data van die LTCRT, kundige konsultasies en ‘n sistematiese literatuuroorsig kombineer. Ondernemingsbegrotings is ontwikkel vir skape en ‘n spekulatiewe, op osse gebaseerde stelsel deur gebruik te maak van gestandaardiseerde Grootvee-eenhede (GVE)- Kleinvee-eenhede (KVE) omskakelings en KB-versoenbare smeerplekbeskikbaarheidsaannames. Bruto marges is uitgedruk op ‘n per-hektaar basis, en sensitiwiteitsanalise het beeste se GM- reaksies op beesvleisprysvariasie ondersoek. Resultate toon dat skaapgebaseerde stelsel konsekwent hoer basislyn-GM’s per hektaar gegenereer het (ongeveer R6 020/u). In teenstelling hiermee lewer beesondernemings, wanneer dit na ekwivalente weidingsintensteit opgeskaal word, aanvanklik laer Gm’s (ongeveer R5 079/ha), maar chul winsgewendheid reageer hoogs op beesvleisprysstygings en is minder vatbaar vir diefstalverwante verliese. Sensitiwiteitsanalise dui daarop dat ‘n styging van 10-15% in beesvleispryse beesvleisstelsels ewe winsgewend of meer winsgewend as skape kan maak. Volhoubare beesveebesettingsyfers (3.2-4.4 osse/ha) is haalbaar sonder om BL-beginsels te oortree, mits rotasieweiding en residubestuur noukeurig toegepas word. Dus dui die analise daarop dat die integrasie van beeste toenemend aantreklik word onder toestande van hoe risiko van skaapdiefstal, arbeidstekort en strategiese prioritisering van residubestuur en grondbeskerming binne BL-stelsels. Veeboerdery vereis egter meer aanvanklinke beleggings in heinings, infrastruktuur en hanteringsfasiliteite, maar kan daaglikse arbeid verminder en goed in lyn wees met seisoenale weidingsventers. Die studie kom tot die gevolgstrekking dat terwyl skeep-gebaseerde ICLS ekonomies voordelig bly onder tipiese toestande, vleisbeesintegrasie strategiese voordele bied in kontekste met hoe diefstal of arbeidsbeperking en ekologiese veerkragtigheid verbeter deur verbeterde residubenting en voedingstofsiklusse. Suksesvolle aanvaardig vereis konteksspesifieke bestuur, robuuste infrastruktuur en buigsame markstrategiee. Die bevindings bied ‘n besluitondersteunende maatstaf vir boere, adviseurs en beleidmakers wat die herkonfigurasie van vee in graan-veestelsels oorweeg, en beklemtoon die behoefte aan toekomstige multikriteria-assesserings vir die hele plaas wat gesamentlik ekonomiese opbrengste, grondaanwysers en sosiale uitkomste dophou. Masters 2026-04-22T07:35:30Z 2026-04-22T07:35:30Z 2026-03 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/136084 en Stellenbosch University xiv, 61 pages : illustrations, maps application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Wheat -- South Africa -- Swartland Agriculture -- Economic aspects -- South Africa -- Swartland Climatic changes -- South Africa -- Western Cape Sustainable agriculture -- South Africa -- Western Cape Farm management -- Economic aspects Beef cattle -- Breeding -- South Africa -- Swartland Integrated crop–livestock systems -- Management Crop rotation Climatic factors UCTD Sandile, Nkambule Management considerations and financial implications for sustainable beef cattle integration in winter cereal systems in the Swartland |
| title | Management considerations and financial implications for sustainable beef cattle integration in winter cereal systems in the Swartland |
| title_full | Management considerations and financial implications for sustainable beef cattle integration in winter cereal systems in the Swartland |
| title_fullStr | Management considerations and financial implications for sustainable beef cattle integration in winter cereal systems in the Swartland |
| title_full_unstemmed | Management considerations and financial implications for sustainable beef cattle integration in winter cereal systems in the Swartland |
| title_short | Management considerations and financial implications for sustainable beef cattle integration in winter cereal systems in the Swartland |
| title_sort | management considerations and financial implications for sustainable beef cattle integration in winter cereal systems in the swartland |
| topic | Wheat -- South Africa -- Swartland Agriculture -- Economic aspects -- South Africa -- Swartland Climatic changes -- South Africa -- Western Cape Sustainable agriculture -- South Africa -- Western Cape Farm management -- Economic aspects Beef cattle -- Breeding -- South Africa -- Swartland Integrated crop–livestock systems -- Management Crop rotation Climatic factors UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/136084 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT sandilenkambule managementconsiderationsandfinancialimplicationsforsustainablebeefcattleintegrationinwintercerealsystemsintheswartland |