Livestock farming communities are encouraged to continue proper supplementary feeding practices, as the recent good rainfall across much of the country provides favourable conditions. These practices are essential for boosting fertility rates, increasing revenue.

According to the technical advisor at Feedmaster, Frank Kanguatjivi, agriculture has proven to be one of the sectors that continues to support the country's economy; hence, farmers should continue to produce quality livestock with good maintenance.

Kanguatjivi adds that farmers should now prepare to add protein-based supplements while phasing out phosphorus-related additives.

The agriculturalist says that continuous additions of supplements also help livestock with weight gain, high production rate and good health.

"Good rain comes with a lot of leaching in the soil. You have a lot of grass, but nutritionally, they are poor because of high leaching, especially in the Omaheke area, where we have a lot of sandy soil. So in wintertime, their protein will be low, so we have to supplement. So in Omaheke, unfortunately, we need to provide supplements, or otherwise you might have hoof problems in our cows in terms of phosphate deficiency, so we will continue having these issues, so supplementation is a continuous process when supplementation throughout the year is for better performance."

Kanguatjivi also implored farming communities to start storing fodder for later use, as the dry season comes with plenty of challenges.

"This year we have plenty, so we have to harvest and store. We have to develop the spirit of storing raw materials for our livestock, but amongst most Black farmers, it's like we don't have it in our genes or it's something that we have to learn and adopt as part of our culture, and it's amongst all farmers. We don't store our fodder, but it's more common amongst white communities here in Namibia, who have a lot of storehouses on their farms, but even at our villages, we don't have those facilities."