Meatco’s Mobile Slaughter Unit (MSU) continues to assist farmers in the Kavango East and West regions to market their animals amid the prevailing drought. The abattoir on wheels, which was introduced three years ago, continues to serve farmers who have quality marketable cattle in the area.

Year-to-date, the MSU has managed to assist farmers by paying a total of N$ 5,972,637.38 for B (50%) & C (50%) grade animals purchased between March and October 2019. The total purchases mass over this same period was 377,397 kilograms while approximately 910 head of cattle were procured in the NCA from March to October.

Furthermore, year-to-date, Meatco has been paying producers an average price of N$ 6,563 per head of cattle while the average price per kilogram stood at N$ 15.83 live mass.

The cattle fat grading distribution for the period under review has been as follows:-

As from 18 November 2019, Meatco increased the purchase price of live weights (fat grades 2 and better) on all grades to N$ 19.00 per kilogram and similarly reduced the price of all lean carcasses (fat grades 0 & 1) to N$ 15.57 per kilogram.

According to Meatco NCA Manager, Obed Kaatura, the mobile abattoir is still operating from Matumbo Ribebe, 50 km east of Rundu in Kavango East Region. Meatco is aware of the farmers’ outcry for its movement to other parts of the NCA. However, this move will be determined by cattle numbers and favourable climatic conditions going into the next year.

“Since we have both Uutapi and Oshakati abattoirs operating, Meatco is thus encouraging farmers in the NCA to market their cattle through these facilities, which are also creating more marketing opportunities, in a bid to ultimately grow the industry,” says Kaatura.