WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT- BLESBOK
Management of blesbok on farmland in KwaZulu-Natal
A N Marchant

Blesbok were formerly distributed in the southern Tranvaal, Orange Free State, north eastern Cape and occasionally during winter, on the plains below the Drakensberg in north western KwaZulu-Natal. 

The blesbok was saved from extinction by a few farsighted farmers and has now been re-introduced to much of its former range. In addition, blesbok have been introduced extensively into areas outside their previous range. It is now widely distributed in KwaZulu-Natal where it is a familiar animal on private land, especially in the midland and highland areas. It is a very acceptable farm game animal. Once established in an area, it is normally contained by an ordinary stock fence provided the habitat is suitable and the area large enough. At low to moderate densities, blesbok can maintain themselves on sourveld which cannot support domestic stock in winter.

Habitat preferences
The blesbok is an animal of the open grasslands. It is a short grass grazer (like the sheep), preferring fresh young growth to coarse or stemmy material.
The flush of grass following burning, mowing or grazing is particularly attractive to blesbok. They are very selective when it comes to eating old grass.
If a large number of blesbok are confined to a small area, the palatable grasses are likely to be eaten leaving the less palatable material of low nutritional value.
The ideal terrain for blesbok is flat to gently undulating grassland. Provided the grassland is not dominated by unpalatable grass such as "ngongoni" (Aristida junciformis), the farmer may be reasonably confident of success with blesbok.

Social organization
Blesbok are herd animals in which there are three social categories, viz.:

1. Territorial males (often thought to be "outcast males") are mature, socially dominant animals and in the prime of life. During the rut (March and April) they occupy a territory which they defend against all other males.
2. Breeding herds comprise females (mature and immature) and all calves up to one year of age. These breeding herds show some attachment to individual territorial males who in turn try to keep their harems within their territories.
3. Bachelor herds are made up of males over one year of age which are too immature physically, or too old, or of insufficient social standing to possess territories. Sometimes immature females over one year of age join these groups.

These three categories are most easily recognized during the rut. Much chasing of the bachelor males by the territorial male(s) takes place involving some injury and even the occasional fatality. The territorial males attempt to retain their territories and their females. In this way the best breeding material is selected for fathering progeny.
During early summer when the calves are born, there is a ‘false rut’, and the one year old males are evicted from the breeding herds and become bachelors.
Bachelor males entering the prime of life may either set up territories of their own if space permits, or otherwise displace aging territorial males.

Reproduction
Blesbok are seasonal breeders with the rut in March and April and calving in about November. Normally, blesbok females calve for the first time at three years of age. However, there are cases where females at the age of two have calved.
Fertility rate is high - all mature females may be expected to calve annually, except on marginal range, during drought, or when an area is over-populated. Calves are born in the approximate ratio of one male to one female.

Management
The camp for blesbok should be at least 90 to 100 ha in extent and a minimum number of 10 animals are required to start a breeding nucleus.

It is essential that cattle (bulk gazers) are grazed in the blesbok area on a normal rotational basis, otherwise blesbok tend to ignore the resultant rank and stemmy grass and this leads to local overgrazing of the remaining short grass areas.
This problem can be further minimized by judicious use of fire.
The blesbok camp should be divided into two evenly sized blocks. One block should be burnt in the spring of even years (2000, 2002, etc) and the other block in the spring of odd years (1999, 2001, etc). This will encourage a form of rotational grazing giving the unburnt grass some rest.
Mowing in mid and/or late summer is another very useful form of management providing the blesbok with short grass and encouraging rotational grazing.

In winter sourveld is of low nutritional value and usually cannot support domestic stock unless supplements are used, but blesbok at low to moderate densities (1 blesbok per 4ha) can successfully overwinter on sourveld, provided the veld is suitably managed. If blesbok are stocked at rates higher than 1 per 4ha the following may occur:

Large areas become grazed down to grass root level.
Bare patches of soil and eventually erosion result.
Animals lose condition in winter
Calf survival declines.
Calving rates fall.
Social problems become exaggerated.
Parasite infestations increase.
To prevent overstocking it is essential that surplus blesbok be taken off each year.
The aim is to achieve a form of veld utilization where cattle and blesbok complement rather than compete with eachother.

Harvesting and sex ratios
Selective harvesting of blesbok can be achieved either by live capture and sale to other farmers, or by shooting.

In the past, farmers and hunters shot the so-called "outcast" males in the belief that these were old, sterile and cantankerous individuals that were always chasing the other males away and killing the young calves. As mentioned earlier these "outcast" males are the strong, virile, territorial males - the very backbone of the blesbok society.

Moreover, one ram was considered adequate for perhaps 20 ewes, since this was the case with sheep; so most males were shot. Such a heavy hunting pressure on males, especially territorial males left the mating to the immature, the feeble, or the incompetent.

For maximum productivity the farmer should control the composition of his blesbok herd as follows:

Do not shoot the territorial male which is as valuable as any prize Merino ram.
Maintain a bachelor herd of both mature and immature males.
Maintain a sex ratio of one male to three females (excluding calves).
Distorting the sex ratio beyond this will provide only marginal gains in production, but probably at the expense of the future genetic health of the population.

Harvesting should be done in early winter. This ensures that the remaining blesbok will have a greater supply of food to see them through the winter.
Furthermore, the blesbok are likely to be in peak condition in early winter and so the carcasses will then be of the highest quality.
Only the bachelors and the immature and adult females should be harvested, unless there are runts among the calves.

Blesbok should be counted and classified at least once annually (preferably immediately prior to the harvest) so that the status and performance of the animals can be assessed and the size and composition of the harvestable surplus can be calculated.
To sex blesbok, binoculars should be used.
Females are distinguished from the males by their thinner more spindly horns and their more rounded bellies once they have had their first calf.
The males have more robust horns, which are distinctly thicker than the female’s horns at the base. If seen from behind, the scrotum of the males if visible.

Opthalmia
It must be pointed out that some farmers have had problems with their cattle contracting Opthalmia (uitpeuloog), apparently from their blesbok. The following precautions are recommended to minimize this possibility:

Do not stock above the recommended level (i.e. 1 blesbok to 4 ha).
Do not stock blesbok in camps less than 90 ha.
If you happen to be a farmer who has the problem - inspect the cattle running with the blesbok daily.
Consult a veterinarian regarding the treatment of the cattle.

Legal status
Blesbok are classed, as open game in KwaZulu-Natal and there is a year round open season.
No licenses or permits required for daytime shooting with a rifle firing a centre-fire cartridge. - only the landowner’s permission.

Punchline
In a recently conducted survey it was found that the most successful blesbok herds were those that had adult sex ratios of one male to three females, in a camp larger than 100ha, and stocked at 1 blesbok per 4 ha.

KEY POINTS
Terrain should be flat to gently undulating.
Camp size minimum of 90 ha to 100 ha.
The maximum stocking rate should be 1 blesbok to 4 ha.
Graze, burn and mow the camps according to a two-year mosaic pattern.
Remove surplus animals annually.
Maintain a sex ratio of one male to three females.