Prof. Petrus Jacobus (Pieter) Fourie, Professor of Animal Production in the Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, deliberating on ‘Functional efficiency in livestock’, at his professorial inaugural lecture. 

In an era marked by escalating population growth, climate variability, and environmental constraints, agriculture faces an urgent imperative- to produce more with less. The traditional margins for error in livestock production are rapidly shrinking, demanding a paradigm shift in how we breed, manage, and sustain our animals,” these were the words of Petrus Jacobus (Pieter) Fourie, a Professor of Animal Production in the Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences at his inaugural lecture.

On 27 May 2025, the Senate honoured Prof. Fourie for reaching his pinnacle milestone at the Professorial Inaugural Lecture, the fourth from the inaugural series held since the beginning of this month.

Prof. Petrus Fourie has significantly shaped his academic journey and the country’s agricultural landscape with his pioneering work in livestock improvement and sustainable agriculture, making a significant contribution to the academic project. 

In his lecture titled ‘Functional efficiency in livestock’, a principle that calls for a deliberate alignment of form with function, Prof. Fourie explored the essential characteristics of livestock. These characteristics, such as adaptability, resilience, reproductive efficiency, and disease resistance, are crucial factors for survival in an increasingly resource-scarce and socio-economically uncertain world, making his research highly relevant.

He reflected on the 21st-century challenges facing ‘functional efficiency in livestock and looked into ways of analysing it to inspire change in livestock improvement. “As South Africa’s agricultural landscape transforms, the resilience of our livestock systems becomes central to long-term viability. It critically examines the consequences of poorly thought-through human interventions driven by short-term gain or aesthetic ideals, which often result in fragile animals and unsustainable practices,” he said.

From left: Prof. Wendy Setlalentoa, acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Innovation and Engagement, Professor Petrus (Pieter) Jacobus Fourie and Prof. Pamela Dube, Vice-Chancellor and Principal.

Vice-Chancellor and Principal Prof. Dube urged Prof. Fourie and his team to collaborate more closely with rural communities to lend a helping hand in their development. “The faculty must also work closely with the government to determine the size and state of the rural economy and enable our emerging farmers to access external markets and financing to establish viable farming enterprises. In that way, we can diversify the agriculture sector to the point that we can safely say that our emerging farmers and small rural businesses can grow food and breed animals more efficiently; they can also feed their families and increase food availability in the local markets,” said the Vice-Chancellor.

Professor Petrus (Pieter) Jacobus Fourie holds a D. Tech in Agriculture from the Central University of Technology, an MDP (cum laude) from the University of the Free State, and an Advanced Diploma in Post-School Education from Technikon SA.

His research focuses on the challenges faced by the extensive sheep, cattle, and goat industries. Throughout his career, he has collaborated closely with various breeders' societies in South Africa and has served as Vice President of the South African Meatmaster Breeders’ Society from 2018 to 2021.

His academic contributions include more than 38 scientific papers, a book chapter, and the patenting of a pelvic meter for small stock. He has authored or co-authored over 50 presentations at national and international conferences, as well as scholarly papers.

Prof. Fourie’s family: from left: Jene’ (daughter), Prof. Pieter Fourie, Dottie (wife), Mia (daughter) and Marieta Fourie(mother)