Game Farming

( Article Type: Explanation )

Game farming is a method of farming that uses wildlife species as livestock instead of domesticated animals. The wildlife species are better adapted to the veld and other conditions, cause less damage and are less affected by disease and illness. Species used include eland, crocodile, guinea fowl, zebra and ostrich.

There are an increasing number of game farms in Mpumalanga and the Cape and, in many cases, they are more profitable than domestic stock farms. By ensuring that the farms are run according to the carrying capacity of the total land area, it is possible to run successful farms and combine these with a tourist function such as game viewing or hunting.

There is a need for strict control of these operations to avoid the occurrence of ‘canned lion’ or other cruel or unethical animal hunting. Experience has shown that game farms do not have serious problems with grazing shortages and, provided that the animals are kept separate from foot-and-mouth infected animals, financial stability can be sustained.