It is generally accepted that the first Jerseys were imported by Mr. Adrian van der Byl of Roodebloem Estate, Woodstock, Cape, from Jersey Island, in the early 1880’s.
The first
Simmentalers were imported to South Africa in 1905. In 1964 breeders
in Namibia and South Africa formed a Breeders’ Association
for Southern Africa.
The first noteworthy importations of Sussex cattle into Southern Africa occurred during the first years of the twentieth century, when the late Mr Alec Holm of the Potchefstroom Agricultural College was sent to England to select a cattle breed best suited to Southern African conditions.