Frederick Wilhelm Cornelius Neser was born in Jagersfontein on 9 December 1964 and received his schooling at the Jagersfontein High School.  He obtained the BSc Agric (1988), BSc Agric Hons (1989), MSc Agric (1992) and PhD (1996) degrees at the University of the Free State. 

He started his career as an animal improvement official at the S A Fleece Testing Center at Middelburg E.C in 1990. In 1991, he moved to Glen Development Institute as agriculture researcher. In 1995, he was appointed lecturer in the Department of Animal- Science at the UFS and is currently professor in Animal Breeding and head of this department.

He is the author and co-author of more than 490 scientific and popular scientific publications in national and international journals as well as scientific congress presentations. He has received the David Uys trophy for the best article published in the South African Journal of Animal Science in both 1996, 2015 and 2017. In 1999, he was awarded a medal from the South African Society of Animal Science for an outstanding research project. In 2017, he received an award from the South African Society for Animal Science for the article most cited in the period 2011-2016. He also acts as sub-editor and referee for articles publish in the South African Journal of Animal Science and other international scientific journals.

He was a council member of the South African Society of Animal Science and the International Committee of the World Congress on Genetics Applied to Livestock Production (WCGALP). He was judge in 2010 as the Free State Agriculturist of the year and in 2019, he received an award for lifetime service rendered to the Livestock Industry in South Africa from the Independent Livestock Registering Authorities. He is currently an evaluated and a principal grantholder of the National Research Foundation.

He successfully gave study guidance to 28 M-degree and 13 D – degree students in the 28 years he is at the UFS. In 2004, one of his PhD students received a medal from the South African Society of Animal Science for an outstanding research project. In 2015, two of his Masters students receive the same medal. Currently 8 M-degree and 11 PhD students receive study guidance under his supervision. 

Publications since 2020 

2020 (6)

1. FOSTER, L.A., FOURIE, P.J. & NESER, F.W.C., 2020. Effect of different levels of supplementation after weaning on beef heifer development. S. Afr. J. Anim. Sci. 50,1 129-137
2. PYOOS, C.M., SCHOLTZ, M.M., MACNEIL, A., THEUNISSEN & NESER, F.W.C., 2020. Genetic effects from an Afrikaner, Bonsmara, and Nguni three-breed diallel and top-crosses of Angus and Simmental siresS. Afr. J. Anim. Sci. 50,3 366-377 http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/sajas.v50i3.3
3. VAN DER WESTHUIZEN, H.C., MOHLAPO, T.D., DE KLERK, J.D., MAJOLA, S.E., SNYMAN, H.A. & NESER, F.W.C., 2020. Reproduction performance of beef cattle before and after implementing a sustainable grazing system in a semi-arid grassland of southern Africa. S. Afr. J. Agric. Ext.48, 1 112 – 121DOI: 10.17159/2413-3221/2020/v48n1a530
4. GROBLER, R., DE WITT, F.H., CASON, E.D., EINKAMERER, O.B., JOSLING, C.G.,  O’NEILL, H.A., FAIR, M.D.,  BALOYI, J.J., MACNEIL, M.D. & NESER, F.W.C., 2020.Training the next generation of animal scientists for South Africa. Animal Frontiers 10(3):10-17DOI: 10.1093/af/vfaa017
5. SCHOLTZ, M.M., NESER, F.W.C., & MAKGAHLELA, M.L., 2020. A balanced perspective on the importance of ruminant foods for human livelihoods and its environmental impact. South African Journal of Science Volume 116| Number 9/10 September/October 2020 Research Letter https://doi.org/10.17159/sajs.2020/8192
6. HENDRIKS, J., SCHOLTZ, M.M., VAN WYK, J.B. & NESER, F.W.C., 2020.  Alternative testing procedures to measure feed intake and growth rate in South African beef cattle. Applied Animal Husbandry and Rural Development, 13, 55 – 59

    

         2021 (2)

    

7. JORDAAN, F.J., NESER, F.W.C., MAIWASHE, A., KING, Z. & SCHOLTZ, M.M., 2021. The Environmental Impact of Changes in Cow Productivity and Its Component Traits in South Africa’s Landrace Beef Breeds. Front. Anim. Sci. 2:743229. http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fanim.2021.743229
8. HENDRIKS, J., NESER, F.W.C., VAN WYK, J.B., JORDAAN, F.J., & SCHOLTZ, M.M., 2021. Estimates of variance components for feedlot traits of the Simmentaler breed in South Africa. S. Afr. J. Anim. Sci. 51,6 792-799. http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/sajas.v51i6.12

    

    

   2022 (4)

    

    

9. MDYOGOLO, S., MACNEIL, M.D., WALUGEMBE, M., CHINCHILLA-VARGAS, J., ROTHSCHILD, M.F., NESER, F.W.C., SCHOLTZ, M.M. & MAKGAHLELA, M.L., 2022. Assessing accuracy of genotype imputation in the Afrikaner and Brahman cattle breeds of South Africa. Trop Anim. Health. Prod. 54, 90 1-12https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-022-03102-0
10. PYOOS, C.M., SCHOLTZ, M.M., MACNEIL, A., THEUNISSEN & NESER, F.W.C., 2022. Alternative measures of cow-calf efficiency for Afrikaner, Bonsmara, Nguni, Angus, and Simmental sired calvesAnim. Prod. Sci. 62(7), 668–675 https://www.publish.csiro.au/AN/pdf/AN21479
11. KOOVERJEE, B.B., SOMA, P, VAN DER NEST, M.A., SCHOLTZ, M.M. & NESER, F.W.C., 2022.Selection signatures in South African Nguni and Bonsmara cattle populations reveal genes relating to environmental adaptation. Frontiers in Genetics 13. https://DOI=10.3389/fgene.2022.909012
12. DUCROCQ, V., CADET, A., PATRY, C., VAN DER WESTHUIZEN, L., VAN WYK, J.B., & NESER, F.W.C. & 2022. Two approaches to account for genotype-by-environment interactions for production traits and age at first calving in South African Holstein cattleGSE 54: 43 https://doi.org/10.1186/s12711-022-00735-5

     

     

    2023 (5)

     

13. SCHOLTZ, M.M., PYOOS, C.M., JORDAAN, F.J. & NESER, F.W.C., 2023. A balanced perspective on the contribution of extensive ruminant production to greenhouse gas emissions in Southern Africa.African Journal of Range & Forage Science. 40 (1), 107-113. http://dx.doi.org/10.2989/10220119.2022.2155247
14. GROBLER, S.M., SCHOLTZ, M.M., NESER, F.W.C, GREYLING, J.P.C, MOREY, L. & CALITZ, F.J., 2023.Reproductive performance of extensively managed beef heifers mated at 14 months or 26 months in the Central Bushveld Bioregion. S. Afr. J. Agric. Ext.51 No. 1,155-165 http://dx.doi.org/10.17159/2413-3221/2023/v51n1a11672
15. VAN NIEKERK, M., NESER, F.W.C., VAN WYK, J.B. & DUCROCQ, V., 2023. Comparison of fixed and random regression models for the analysis of milk production traits in South African Holstein dairy cattle under two production systems. Livestock Science 267 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.livsci.2022.105125
16. KOOVERJEE, B.B., SOMA, P., VAN DER NEST, M.A., SCHOLTZ, M.M. & NESER, F.W.C., 2023. Copy Number Variation Discovery in South African Nguni-Sired and Bonsmara-Sired Crossbred Cattle. Animals, 13,2513. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13152513
17. GROBLER, S.M., VAN DER WESTHUIZEN, H.C., SNYMAN, H.A., SCHOLTZ, M.M., NESER, F.W.C., GREYLING, J.P.C., MOREY, L. & TRYTSMAN, M., 2023. Impact of two grazing strategies on rangeland basal cover and beef production in the Sourish Mixed Bushveld. S. Afr. J. Agric. Ext. Vol. 51 No. 4, 2023: 75-86 http://dx.doi.org/10.17159/2413-3221/2022/v50n1a14407

(Co)variance component and breeding value estimation in sheep, dairy and beef cattle.
Animal breeding Genotype x Environment interaction

Animal adaptation

Cattle  and Sheep production

ANIB4814

ANIG4808