June 15, 2016: Thousands of suffering animals in the drought-stricken town of Pomfret in the Kalahari region have been rescued from their desperate plight by a joint mission spearheaded by Barloworld Transport and Meadow Feeds. The two companies joined forces to help the National Council of SPCAs (NCSPA), which appealed to businesses for assistance.
The initiative was launched after Meadow Feeds approached Barloworld Transport for assistance. Barloworld Transport delivers feed from all seven of Meadow Feeds’ mills across the country, and because of this long-standing partnership, was the ideal supplier to partner with on the Pomfret mission.
Meadow Feeds is a market leader in the Southern African animal feed industry, and stepped in to donate water and drought feed for the animals of the town situated in North West province. Barloworld Transport took on the task of ensuring that all the feed and water arrived safely and in time. A group of vets and helpers were also co-opted to see to the general wellbeing of the affected animals.
“We are pleased to have collaborated with Meadow Feeds and the NSPCA in providing assistance to the community of Pomfret,” says Jan-Hendrik Pretorius of Barloworld Transport. “The area hasn’t had any rain for the past year, resulting in large scale suffering for the animals and residents of the town.”
The Barloworld Transport and Meadow Feeds team delivered 10 000 litres of water and Sweet Feed – nutritional pellets that can be fed to cows, goats and horses.
The donations were enough to feed 1 500 cattle, 4 000 goats and 250 equine animals. A local house was turned into a makeshift surgery where the vets treated the animals. The house was cleaned and painted by NSPCA staff.
Meadow Feeds Managing Director Andy Crocker said when the NSPCA approached them, they immediately saw alignment with their H-2-Go water project, through which they assist rural communities that are dependent on the wellbeing of their animals for their own subsistence.
“When the NSPCA asked for help, we pulled on our resources, and Barloworld Transport was the ideal partner to do this with,” says Andy Crocker of Meadow Feeds. “Pomfret is in a dire situation as a result of the worst drought since 1904 and we couldn’t ignore their plight.
“Meadow Feeds’ Dirk Vorster, and his capable team from Randfontein, immediately responded and allocated 1 080 bags of Sweet Feed and 10 000 litres of water. But more impressively, they chose to accompany the NSPCA and assist them in every aspect of their outreach.”
He added: “The resolve with which the NSPCA attends to these dire situations with such limited resources is truly commendable. I would like to thank Barloworld Transport for rallying to the cause and providing the transport – and also Belloord, which generously assisted with the water project.”
Barloworld Transport and Meadow Feeds have also been providing water to the farmers of Louis Trichardt.
