A video, showing rows of over 1000 dead cattle on Wasbank farm, went viral on social media and speculation was rife that the animals were maliciously poisoned as a ploy of getting that piece of land in which the animals were in. The cattle perished after consuming an animal feed
Tests are still being conducted to determine the causative agent of the death of the cattle, with the owner of the firm noting that samples of the feed mix had been submitted to different laboratories for testing. Molatek, currently one of the leading animal feed companies in South Africa who also sell some of their products in Namibia, Botswana and Swaziland and have been supplying the mix to the feedlot where the cattle perished, in an official statement noted;
“We are deeply saddened by the recent tragedy that struck a cattle feedlot near Dundee. Upon hearing of this incident, we immediately dispatched our most senior expert ruminant nutritionists as well as an independent vet and also contracted in external experts in different fields to investigate the possible cause of cattle deaths as well as minimize the losses.
“The results received for the Molatek production retention samples as well as all Molatek samples from the feedlot confirmed that the Molatek product was within specification and not the cause of death. We continue to support the owners of the feedlot through further tests done by experts to determine the cause. Results from the toxicology expert suggest poisoning as the cause, and we are currently trying to determine if it was human error or deliberate.
CEO of Kwanalu, an Agricultural Union that provides leadership on all key agricultural issues to commercial farmers said that they had been informed that the feedlot was experiencing a serious problem and that tests were being conducted on the feed mix which has allegedly resulted in a number of animals perishing.
“We believe that no foul play is suspected and that the video post is being spread to destabilise the farming community. We call on all social media users to verify the information and not to blindly forward posts. In addition, this was also circulated to all provincial unions in an attempt to set the record straight. It is shocking that unscrupulous people/ organisations will create such a post with far-reaching consequences,” he noted.