Only the best is good enough – African Farming

When it comes to his animals, Abel Naphtaly, a commercial cattle, sheep and goat farmer, only the best will do. He takes pride in the products he delivers to the market and strives to uphold the best possible quality. Lindiwe Sithole, host of African Farming Season 2, visits him during the fourth episode. 

“One thing is for sure,” Sithole says, “Abel treats his animals like family.” During a panel expert discussion, she urges Dr Francois van de Vyver, the National Technical Manager at Voermol Feeds, to tell her more about the importance of quality feed in producing quality products for the market. “I am what I eat – I imagine this saying is even truer when it comes to feeding cattle. A farmer can do everything right, but if he doesn’t feed his animals correctly, it could have disastrous consequences,” she says. 

Van der Vyver says that is why it is important to partner with Voermol. “We help farmers to harness the full potential of their animals by advising them how to utilise the grazing on their farms optimally, and then help them to select complementary molasses-based supplements.” 

According to him, they formulate a plan based on three phases of the year by supplementing the herd’s feed with primary limiting nutrients in accordance with the deficiencies in their ration.

“We don’t want to substitute the grazing but rather complement it. The purpose of quality supplementary nutrition is to enable the animal to reach its genetic potential,” he says.

Voermol Feeds subscribes to a strict quality assurance programme in order to ensure that superior-quality products are delivered to their clients. The quality assurance chain for both incoming raw materials and finished goods leaving the Voermol premises is linked by the Voermol quality assurance laboratory, located within the production area of the factory.

Voermol’s range of supplements for ruminants includes phosphate licks (mineral supplements), production licks (energy supplements) and protein licks (maintenance supplements). Many of these products are available in block form too. 

Voermol also produces a wide range of quality home-mixing concentrates for finishing cattle, sheep and goats, as well as for use in dairy meal and rations for stud and replacement animals, game, lambs and calves (creep feed).

For more information visit www.voermol.co.za.