Completed Annasruh feedlot projected to accommodate 12,000 cattle
By Jethro Kwenani
The Annasruh feedlot that is situated in the Omaheke Region, 10 km west of Gobabis, once fully completed, will have the capacity to accommodate 12 000 animals with fully functional facilities, a weighbridge, integration of space, feed, water, waste management and handling facilities.
In a newsletter this week, Meatco said the first phase of the feedlot has been completed and offloading of the first animals using the offloading ramp was done during the last week of August.
Meatco said approximately 800 animals were offloaded in the first week through the new offloading ramp and sorting station, with the first phase expected to hold up to 3000 animals.
Constructing the feedlot has created a number of new employment opportunities for the town and region, since Meatco is using local construction companies.
Furthermore, Meatco has ensured an environmentally friendly feedlot thanks to eight boreholes that are powered either by solar or windmill, while three reservoirs have a capacity of 11 000 cubic meters of water. The aspect of renewable energy sources for the management of underground water was a major factor for the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
According to Meatco, following the completion of phase one, phase two will commence with the construction of the next 25 pens.
Meatco currently employs 18 people in the first phase and which will increase upon completion, offering more job opportunities to the local community. With sorting stations currently accommodating between 600 and 800 animals per week, the total standing cattle by the end of 2017 is projected to be 3 000.
This will allow farmers to raise their weaners to long weaners (250-350kg) that can be sold to Meatco rather than being forced to market their animals on the hoof to South Africa under increasingly difficult export conditions.
Once complete, the feedlot will increase marketing opportunities to farmers in the surrounding areas as well as ensure consistent throughput to the Meatco factory.
Through Meatco’s Backwards Integration Initiatives, Meatco is establishing a third feedlot at Kombat in the Otjozondjupa Region.
Meatco will continue to invest in developing feedlots and to support local weaner producers to ensure better returns for farmers/producers.
