Fonteine Borans

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Fonteine Borans

Mixed farming operation producing coarse grains and superior Boran cattle genetics.
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04/08/2026

It is the middle of the cattle auction season, and the million-rand question is what bull on auction is the best? The serious buyer will study the pedigree, put a lot of emphasize on the fertility of the bull's dam, visit the breeder to have a look at his farming operation, the bull's dam and progeny or related animals in order to make an informed decision. Some buyers will buy the fattest bull and after 3 months of winter on the Highveld they will be upset because there appears to be inadequate muscling beneath the disappearing fat layer. Well-muscled bulls will always have good muscling on the front and hind legs, well developed jump muscles, width behind the hump, well filled inner thighs and a strong topline. If you do your homework, you'll go home with a BULL that's worth every rand!

02/08/2026

As Boran breeders we are very fortunate to have a predominantly Indicus breed without the negative trait that comes with some Indicus cattle i.e. bottle teats. Udder quality is very important in order to reap the economic benefits of longevity. At Fonteine we put a lot of emphasize on good udder quality of our Boran cows. Strong udder ligaments that define the udder quarters, well developed teats on heifers at an early age and zero tolerance for bottle teats contribute to a long productive life of the cows. In an extensive system where the Boran excels, there is no time to worry if a calf will be able to suckle soon after birth because of bottle teats.

The minimum breed and production standards clearly state that bottle teats will impede the functional efficiency of the cow and that she can therefore not be registered. By selecting animals with good udder qualities, we'll protect this very important trait that is inherently part of our beautiful breed.

25/06/2026

PERFORMER OF THE WEEK
FPL 11-45 (CI 07-115 x FN 09-393) produced her 13th calf this week. This 15 year old cow calved the first time at 26 months and the second time only 313 days later. She had to adapt from Zippo's south Free State farm but managed to produce 13 calves with an ICP of 376 days. Longevity remains on of the most important economic traits in the cattle industry. You have to look no further than Borans for well adapted, fertile cows with a long productive life!

21/10/2025

Delamere Estate is very well known for many reasons. Situated at the shores of lake Elementaita, it is one of the most beautiful farms we have been too. It is understandable while lord Delamere gave up England for this peace of heaven.
Thanks Giles for spending valuable time with us especially sharing your knowledge with my sons. In our modern era where instant results are expected, the true value of a real stockman is not always appreciated. You and some of your fellow breeders know the value of experience and observation. Thanks for sharing it with us. Your involvement at Segera and Delamere will hopefully restore these herds to their former glory.

20/10/2025

Mogwooni is part of almost every herd in SA. A lot of the prominent bulls used during embryo flushings in Kenya were Mogwooni bulls: Segera 494, K6K 3094, K6K 2459, K6K 1711, K6K 3534, K6K 2738, K6K 3178, K6K 2823, K6K 1383, K6K 3460 etc.
I'll never forget the sight of all those beautifull 414 daughters with their perfect udders and femininity during my first visit.
Jackie and Mandy, thanks for your big contribution to the Boran industry both in Kenya and abroad. Thanks for the warm welcome whenever we visit your beautiful farm. Above all, thanks for the personal advice in 2003 during your SA visit, when you recommend that we should use HVT 97-017, a Segera 494 son. Segera 494 and Mogwooni 3094 are still the cornerstones of our herd, thanks to Jackie's advice.
It was an honour to introduce my sons to a Boran legend.

14/10/2025

A visit to Ol Pejeta conservancy will always be one of the highlights of any visit to Kenya. The Borans and wildlife compliment one another on this breathtaking African farm. There is a new energy under Adil's management with clear goals. Prospects of international Boran genetic trade with South American countries, going back to proven old genetics in combination with genetics from Woragus and other breeders and co-operation with Brazilian vets all contribute to a positive future outlook. Thanks Adil, for the time you set aside for us. Everything was well organised, very informative and the scale of the operation remains impressive. Ol Pejeta should be on any Boran breeder's bucket list.

13/10/2025

Kifuku Boran Cattle Ranch was just the right place to end an eventful Sunday. George Dodds explained to us how the Masai helped his father-in-law to pick this stunning farm. This was my first time at Kifuku and I was impressed by the femininity of the cows. The bont cattle are outstanding but some beautiful white cows also left a lasting impression.Thanks again George for making us feel welcome. We enjoyed every moment of our visit.

12/10/2025

Sosian Boran Stud has been breeding hardy, adapted and functional Boran cattle since 2006. Sean Outram farms on a beautiful farm with a river running through the surrounding mountains. At Sosian they are pushing the boundries with an ultra high density grazing system. Eco tourism is high on the agenda and meaningful integration of cattle remains a challenge. Unfortunately we couldn't spend more time at Sosian.

11/10/2025

Aidan Hartley, owner of Frontier Cattle, welcomed us early on Sunday morning. Although his farm is a lot smaller than the conservancies, it is very beautiful. Aidan told us about his family's history in Africa and how they lost everything in Tanzania. His love for Kenya and Boran cattle was obvious.
We moved on to Suyian, the neighbouring farm formerly known to us as Kisima. It is here where I realised that there is a new generations of farm managers in Kenya with a modern, progressive approach. Archie Voorspuy, manager at Suyian Boran Stud V7Y, is using Johan Zietsman's high density grazing techniques to improve his veld and to ensure the cattle contribute to the well being of the wildlife. He doesn't kraal the cattle anymore at night in a confined space and has increased his weaning weights considerably by giving cows a bigger area at night so that they can still graze. He spent a lot of time with us and has gone out of his way to give us a complete overview of his cattle and his production system, something that we really appreciated.

09/10/2025

Woragus Boran Stud reminds most South African breeders of Gianni 2812, a bull used by some of us during the 2004 embryo flushings in Kenya. I remember how his progeny won most of the show classes during the 2004 Nairobi show. It was therefor no surprise that his progeny was again selected by SA breeders during the latest Kenya embryo flushing.
The Woragus herd is really impressive in terms of uniformity, "right size, right type" for the conditions and it is very clear that there's a definite breeding plan. Mark Taylor and his family can rightfully claim that they are one of Africa's top breeders of Boran cattle.

Address

Farm Groenfontein
Derby
0347

Website

http://www.fonteineboran.co.za/

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