About us
Since 1966, Coenraad Viljoen has been building a successful farming business that is run with passion. In the Clocolan district he is known as a respected farmer with a good heart. Coenraad was married in 1971 to his great love, Jeanette, who is still his daily mainstay. They are family oriented and have four beautiful children as well as seven grandchildren who provide them with much joy.
In 2007, their only son, Louwrens, joined the farm full time. He married Louise on the family farm in 2019. She shares in his love for the cattle and helps with general administration in the office. Louwrens quickly discovered his love for the large, muscular white cattle and together with his father bought 10-year-old female animals at the National Charolais auction and registered the stud, from there Louwcoe Charolais grows from strength to strength and is today the largest Charolais stud in South Africa. Louwrens believes that if you share your passion in your profession, you are living your dream. This is exactly what we do here at Mountain View!
Louwrens was honored in 2016 with the gold award for most outstanding progress made with a Charolais herd for the past 3 years (2014, 2015 and 2016) by the Charolais Society and also has an Elite cow in 2009 as well as a Super cow in 2019 and again an Elite cow produced from the stud in 2020. In 2019, Louwcoe Charolais also won several prizes at the Vryburg show. The stud was also honored with gold in 2019 for an ICP of 417 (102 cows). These awards speak loud and clear about our love for these animals. This father and son team is dynamic and driven with a great passion for the Charolais breed and it makes them successful and so happy…
Louwcoe Charolais bulls are already walking in large parts of South Africa and they are praised for their hardiness and adaptability. Louwcoe Charolais is known for its largest and best polled in South Africa. We have succeeded in breeding polled bulls with capacity, which would stand back for no horned bull. We strive to breed the best genetics and make TOP BULLS available.
Louwrens Viljoen was also honored in 2016 with the progressive breeder for the last 3 years by the Charolais Society and it clearly speaks of his passion and love for the breed. We want to take this opportunity thank our loyal buyers, as well as new buyers and our sponsors support, thank you for being a part of our success.
“QUALITY GENETICS REMOVES THE DOUBT OUT OF HOPE IN FARMING.”
Where did it all start?
Louwcoe Charolais Stud of Louwrens Viljoen and his father, Coenraad, of Mountain View near Clocolan in the Eastern Free State, was established in 2004. Viljoen Sr. has been farming since 1966 with a commercial Charolais herd using only registered bulls. It encouraged Louwrens, a born cattle farmer, to start his own stud when he joined the farm. The stud was started with female animals purchased in 2004 at the breed’s national auction. These cows were already on average ten years old, Mr. Louwrens Viljoen planned it exactly that way ensuring quality breeding.
All glory to our Heavenly Father
On Mountain View, the stud herd runs in mixed fields. The animals also receive a “soutlek”. At the end of winter, the pasture is supplemented with a bit of alfalfa hay, but predominantly the animals must maintain themselves on the pasture. The breeding time lasts from 01 November to the end of January. Calves are weaned when they are seven months old. Bull calves then weigh on average 300kg and heifers 280kg. All heifers that receive the approval of the breeders society are kept in the herd. A farmer will only keep a cow worth her salt in his herd for so long.
2009 Louwcoe Charolais received the Elite-cow award for their best producing cow of the year. The Louwcoe Charolais stud can also boast that more than 50% of all its stud animals carry polled genetics. This is a particularly high occurrence of the prestigious trait & will contribute significantly to the popularity of stud breeding in the future. Progress since its inception, it is now clear that objectives of this Charolais Stud are being pursued in the long term in a purposeful & meaningful way. Dad & son are a dynamic team that proudly builds on the Viljoen tradition…