How Voermol helped Mudau cut lamb mortality by 70%

Emmanuel Mudau has seen firsthand what Voermol Feeds can do for his farm. It’s not just a sales pitch, he says. He has seen his livestock thrive and their coats shine in the sun. With improved fertility and weight gain, he now has an edge in the market.

In 2010, Emmanuel Mudau, a livestock farmer based in Limpopo, faced a serious challenge with his animals. His greatest concern was his Bosvelder sheep, a breed he had developed himself with industry friends and held dear to his heart.

Unfortunately, Mudau was struggling with alarmingly high mortality rates, particularly among his lambs. “I can’t remember the exact number of animals I lost, but it was mostly lambs. I lost [about] 70% of my lambs,” he recalls.

Wireworms, which are a big problem in Makhado Town, made things even harder. Battling these parasites made it tough to keep his flock healthy, and Mudau felt a lot of frustration during this period.

Then, he discovered Voermol Sheep and Goat Protein Lick and decided to trial the product by separating a few of his animals from the rest and observing the effects.

“The response was very good,” he says. Under the Voermol regime, his Bosvelder sheep began to flourish even in the harshest conditions, producing strong, healthy lambs.

Mudau says even a really strong ewe can sometimes have weak lambs, but with Voermol, he does not have that problem anymore. To him, Voermol’s benefits are real and not just a sales gimmick.

“The success of this product is not something that I saw on TV. It is happening on my farm. I can see it,” he proudly shares.

Nutrition is everything

Besides the roughly 500 sheep grazing in Limpopo’s bushvelds, Mudau runs a bustling livestock operation with around 300 goats and 60 cattle. His goats, which include Savanna, indigenous, and Boer breeds, appear content as they graze. Meanwhile, his Boran-Nguni cross cattle can be seen grazing further off in the distance.

Mudau’s farming philosophy is all about prioritising nutrition. He understands that even with fertile land and a good climate, proper nutrition is essential for successful farming.

“While we have a good area for farming, nutrition was the problem. Nutrition is the mother of farming. You can have all the animal health [medication] but without nutrition, you are lost,” Mudau explains.

Since starting with Voermol’s products, Mudau’s farm has seen a big change. Each day, his animals head out into the bush, their coats shining in the sun. When they come back to the kraal, they eagerly gather around the Voermol Sheep and Goat Protein Lick. Mudau watches with satisfaction as his well-nourished animals stay in great condition.

Six years ago, Mudau started using Voermol’s Premix 450 for his cattle. This was a big step in improving how he raised his cattle and made his farming operation more efficient.

“We are getting very good results. It is boosting fertility and weight. Our animals are no longer facing mortality and the animals are maintaining their body conditioning scores.”

Increased market success

The financial impact has been huge. Mudau says, “We’re making real money now. If you can get your lambs to gain weight and wean them well, it means more cash in your pocket.”

His lambs are growing so well that he can sell them right after they are weaned, without having to keep them for long.

If someone wants a sheep, he can provide it quickly. Once, even when the lambs were only a few days away from being weaned, buyers noticed how big they were and chose to buy them.

Mudau has also adapted his feeding strategies over the years.

“We used to put a lot of maize, but it caused a lot of runny stomachs (diarrhoea), and so we stopped. [We get from Voermol, what our animals need]. We also mix a lot of feed using the Voermol products.”

Today, with 16 years of experience, Mudau relies heavily on Voermol Feeds. He sells his livestock at auctions and local markets, travelling as far as Bloemfontein, Gauteng, and even the Northern Cape.

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