LIVESTOCK ON THE FARM – SERVICES INCLUDE A WIDE OFFERING

The livestock on the Irene Estate was as diverse as the workers on the farm. Nellmapius imported Friesland cows for the dairy production on the farm. He was also famous for preserving antelope species that were being decimated by hunters in the Lowveld. Among these species of antelope were eland, springbuck and zebra. Nellmapius experimented with taming the eland and zebra on his farm to work as coach animals. It was known that when travelling through the town of Pretoria from his Albert House residence he would commute on a cart pulled by four zebra. The eland proved to be more difficult to convince to serve any function other than being an alternative to cattle on the farm. The grazing capability was perfect during the wet summer months but “incapable of supporting its ordinary stock of cattle during winter”. The seventy Friesland cows which made up the dairy herd received artificial feeding to sustain their dairy production capabilities. He continues, however, that the farm as “an extensive flower, vegetable and fruit garden” was an “unqualified success”. Nellmapius advertised this service in his paper during 1893, which reads as follows: Families and hotels can arrange for a regular supply of choice and forced vegetables in and out of season. Especially hothouse cucumbers, tomatoes, bleached celery, etc. can be had throughout the whole winter. Also fresh butter, sweet cream, evaporated fruit, finest fruit, vinegar salad oil, hams, bacon, lard and sausages