Assessing the performance of smallholder cattle farmers in uMgungundlovu District, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: management practices, productivity, and market access

Abstract

Smallholder beef cattle farming remains pivotal in sustaining rural livelihoods and forms part of South Africa’s government efforts to promote rural development. However, the poor performance of the sector, driven by poor management practices, limited access to formal markets, and weak profitability, continues to raise concerns. This study investigated the performance of smallholder beef cattle farmers in the uMgungundlovu District, KwaZulu-Natal, focusing on livestock management practices, productivity, and profitability. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 397 farmers across four purposively selected municipalities (uMngeni, Richmond, iMpofana, and Impendle). A simple random sampling technique was applied in Microsoft Excel within each municipality, in which each registered smallholder farmer was assigned a random number, and the required sample was drawn from those numbers. Descriptive statistics were used to profile farmers and their practices. To determine the factors influencing farmers’ market choice, a multinomial logit regression model was used. Moreover, an ordinal regression model was employed to assess the impact of socio-economic and management factors on revenue outcomes, as revenue was operationalised as an ordinal categorical variable classified into three income brackets. The farming population was predominantly aged 51 to 70 (43.1%), followed by 35.5% aged 31 to 50. Just under half (48.2%) of farmers had received formal training in livestock production. This finding (p < 0.001) reinforces the central role of education in income determination. Better-educated individuals tend to earn more and diversify their income sources. This study found that the livestock farming population is primarily composed of middle-aged, male, semi-educated, and resource-poor individuals, who rely significantly on traditional farming methods and government assistance. The multinomial logit regression revealed that farmers' market choices were significantly influenced by education level (p < 0.001), extension service quality (p < 0.05), access to quality bulls (p < 0.05), and breeding knowledge. . Specifically, secondary and tertiary education reduced the likelihood of participating in auction markets relative to informal markets, while limited breeding knowledge and poor extension services further constrained participation in formal channels.

The results further revealed the predominant use of informal methods such as visual appraisal of animal weight and market price, with limited record-keeping by farmers. Furthermore, a significant positive correlation was found between higher cattle prices and achieving higher revenue categories. Specifically, cattle prices above R4 000 per head had a significant positive effect on higher revenue categories (p < 0.001). However, midrange mid-range labour costs (R1 500–R2 000) exerted a negative influence on revenue (p < 0.004). This suggests improvement in labour efficiency to raise revenues for smallholder beef cattle farmers. This study makes an original contribution by being the first to simultaneously integrate management practices, market dynamics, and revenue outcomes within a single district-level analytical framework in uMgungundlovu, KwaZulu- Natal. Unlike previous studies that have examined these dimensions in isolation, this research provides an integrated evidence base that directly links socio-economic and management factors to market channel choice and revenue categories, a contribution that is both empirically novel and policy-relevant at the district level Therefore, It is recommended that the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD), together with extension officers and agricultural cooperatives, establish structured performance measurement systems and improved herd and management interventions for smallholder farmers. Moreover, government policies that target strengthening extension services, promoting training in record-keeping and breeding management, and enhancing farmers’ bargaining power in formal markets are crucial for improving the profitability, sustainability, and commercialization of smallholder beef enterprises.