Pasture and Forage Manager

Pieter Nel

Pieter Nel plans the pasture, forage, shade and drought buffers for our camps at Karoo Edge and on the Highveld.

Pasture and veld care on a daily basis

Pieter Nel starts each day with a walk or a bakkie drive around the camps, checking the grazing, water points and shade cover. He keeps a careful eye on how the veld is carrying the deer and notes any bare patches, new growth or signs of overgrazing after rain or wind. In the Highveld camps, he watches soil moisture and adjusts rest periods so the grasses can recover between herds. Pieter also designs the layout of shade lanes and drought buffers, using indigenous bush where possible, so deer have shelter from sun and berg winds.

When a dry season is coming, Pieter monitors the veld condition more often, keeping drought reserves fenced off until they are needed. He plans the rotation so there is always some green pick after the first rains, and maintains backup feed stores for the years when an El Niño brings tight forage conditions to the Karoo or Highveld.

Working alongside farmers, vets and visitors

Pieter works closely with other farmers and landowners who want to improve their own grazing or plan deer camps. He shares lessons from Karoo Edge, from fencing for rest blocks to the best mixes for reseeding trampled ground. On farm visits, he points out which areas recover best and helps with veld condition assessments. He also works closely with Ilhaam Hendricks and the vets, making sure pasture changes fit with herd health plans and biosecurity.

When colleges or agricultural students visit, Pieter leads the walks into the veld, explaining how to read the grass, how to spot signs of stress, and why veld rest matters. He enjoys practical questions and never minds a muddy boot.

Pasture walks with students and visitors
Advice on veld recovery after drought
Connects farmers to best local forage mixes

What Pieter never compromises on

Pieter insists that camps must never be grazed too hard, even in a tough year. He always leaves enough stubble and root cover to anchor the soil, and no herd goes into a camp that hasn’t rested long enough. Shade is non-negotiable: every camp must have cool lanes or clumps where deer hide from the worst heat.

He also keeps a backup plan for every camp, whether it is extra water, bale stores under cover, or a spare energiser for the electric fence. For Pieter, long-term veld health always comes before a quick gain.