BMC to miss Norway quota on cattle shortages

BMC says it does not have enough cattle to slaughter for the export market
BMC says it does not have enough cattle to slaughter for the export market

LOBATSE: The Botswana Meat Commission (BMC) is likely to fail to supply one of its most lucrative market, Norway with the needed quantity of beef due to reduced availability of slaughter-ready cattle.

Speaking during a tour of Lobatse BMC plant by members of Ntlo ya Dikgosi recently, BMC executive manager in the livestock procurement department, Kenneth Makubate said the abattoir has only 4,000 cattle in the feedlots at the moment but they need to have at least 15,000 slaughter-ready cattle by January in order to meet the beef demands of Norway alone. 

“BMC still continues to spend money on its feedlots. The process is costly and it takes time. Most of the cattle we receive from farmers are mostly not EU {European Union} market compliant. If farmers could register their cattle posts so that they meet EU standards, we will experience an increased intake of slaughter ready cattle. 

Editor's Comment
Routine child vaccination imperative

The recent Vaccination Day in Motokwe, orchestrated through collaborative efforts between UNICEF, USAID, BRCS, and the Ministry of Health, underscores a commendable stride towards fortifying child health services.The painful reality as reflected by the Ministry of Health's data regarding the decline in routine immunisation coverage since the onset of the pandemic, is a cause for concern.It underscores the urgent need to address the...

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