Two experiments measured the ability of tropically adapted beef breeds from resource-poor farmer herds in South Africa to produce high quality beef under commercial feedlot conditions. The resource-poor farming sector consists of ‘emerging’ and communal farmers. The herd and breed groups consisted of Sanga types (tropically adapted Bos taurus breed) including Nguni, Tuli, Bonsmara and Drakensberger, as well as Brahman and non-descript groups. The cattle were slaughtered after an average of 97 days in the first experiment and after an average of 92, 140 and 169 days on a grain-based diet in the second experiment. Growth performance, carcass quality and yield, occurrence of disease and meat quality were measured.

The performance of the breeds groups was a function of their genetic potential and herd type (carcass weight and condition at arrival). Steers from emerging and communal farmer herds enter the feedlot at a lighter weight, but show similar growth performance to achieve acceptable, albeit lighter carcass weights, than their commercial counterparts. The incidence of disease was no different between commercial, emerging and communal herds. Carcass and meat quality analyses indicate small or no differences between herd types or breeds, except that Brahman produced tougher meat. It was concluded that cattle from resource-poor farmer herds have the ability to meet the specifications of South Africa’s commercial beef markets, indicating a genuine opportunity for import substitution, whereby the more than 5 million cattle in resource-poor farmer herds could be used to overcome the significant shortfall in South Africa’s domestic beef market demand.