Windhoek
The Okapuka feedlot that resumed buying cattle earlier this month, is aiming towards full capacity once the reconstruction of some of the pens is complete.
Six pens with a capacity of 120 animals each are under construction at the moment, says communication officer at Meatco Thokozile Mdlalose. Mdlalose adds that Okapuka currently has a standing capacity of 8 200 cattle worth N$45 million. In order to maintain this capacity, Meatco must buy 690 cattle per week and slaughter just as many.
“We anticipate slaughtering 32 000 cattle this financial year. After the work on the six pens is complete, 12 other pens will be converted into eight pens. This should be finalised by early next year. Once all the pens are complete, the feedlot will have a capacity of 8 800 cattle,” informs Mdlalose.
He adds that at the moment there is a lot of feed, but it is becoming a challenge to buy cattle since they are not available in large numbers due to the drought. An exciting development at the feedlot is that an MSc student, Cornelia Kahl, started working there at the beginning of July. Over the next 12 months she will be carrying out a trial on Animal Production and Animal Welfare. “Cornelia’s study will be carried out in four pens: one with shade, another with a manure heap in the middle, the third pen will be overturned regularly, while the fourth group will be the control pen. Hopefully we will get good results from her study so that we can improve our performance at the feedlot,” Mdlalose concludes.