HISTORY OF CATTLE RAISING IN NAMIBIA

Browsing through written history, it became clear that hunting, trade (often with animals or animal products), missionary outreach and exploring expeditions were the main driving forces in Namibia which may be described as early positive development.

Trade in ivory, livestock, ostrich feathers, hides and skins, guns and ammunition, liquor, sugar, coffee and clothing were the most important items mentioned in a list of commodities during the mid-19th century.

Means of transport were ox wagons, horses and riding-oxen on almost non-existing roads on the one hand, or, notwithstanding lack of port facilities, maritime transport during the pre-colonial and early colonial era. These factors mainly boosted the popularity of Walvis Bay as the natural port of entry and exit since the earliest days to Namibia. With the building of the first road from the central highlands through the inhospitable Khomas Hochland to the coast by Jonker Afrikaner (Nama chief in Windhoek) in 1843, the port's importance as gateway for the hinterland, not only Namibia but also Ngamiland in today's Botswana, rose more and more.

The explorer/trader/collector Charles John Anderson arrived at Walvis Bay on 20 August 1850, off-loading his mules and horses by dumping them about half-a-mile offshore to swim for dear life to the coast.

Dixon and Morris, during the period 1843 to 1850, built houses and a store at Sandfontein (about 5km from Walvis bay at the Kuiseb river) and also established a cattle post on the banks of the Swakop river with the view of shipping beef and live oxen to export markets. Daily training sessions, to acquaint the animals with the sea, preceded the loading exercise onto vessels, as oxen were towed out to ship by boat.

Anderson mentioned that beef was salted and cured for ships provisions and that live cattle were exported to Cape Town and also to supply St. Helena island with beef.

During the period of British occupation of Walvis Bay (1881) and German colonisation of the rest of Namibia (1884) the import/export activities of animals and animal products via Walvis Bay seemed to be fairly dormant.

Various attempts to export surplus animals and animal products were conducted from German soil via the maritime routes of Swakopmund and Sandwich Harbour.

A facility to export canned beef and beef extract was erected at Sandwich harbour during 1887, but, as could have been predicted, this venture had to be abandoned two years later in this inhospitable and environmentally unfriendly location.

Due to epidemic outbreaks of Bovine lungsickness (1859 onwards) and Rinderpest (1897-1905), exports of beef via Swakopmund were only resumed during the period 1910-1912, with a total of 77.239Kg exported to Germany.

Important developmental milestones for Walvis Bay during the period of South African occupation were the simultaneous official opening of the harbour facilities and the cattle abattoir cum cold storage on 3 August 1927.

A canning section for beef, being a condition for the Imperial Cold Storage company for obtaining the site of the abattoir (capacity 300 cattle/day) and cold storage (capacity 13.052 cubic metres or 15.000 carcasses) next to the quay free of charge, never came off the ground.

This slaughter and storage facility operated continuously from 1927 to 1936, except during 1934 because of a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak. During this period 96.211 cattle carcasses were exported, mainly to the Italian Armed Forces.

During the following 22 years the facilities were only operational intermittently for 11 years and 122.949 carcasses were exported before final close-down in 1958.

Importation of cattle, mainly for breeding purposes, led to the quarantine of these animals at the abattoir facilities initially, followed by the construction of proper official quarantine facilities during the early 1950's. These facilities were upgraded in the 1980's. Meat hygiene services and meat inspection was carried out at the Walvis Bay Abattoir/Cold storage facilities to provide for official export health certification.

Although being South African territory, Walvis Bay was administered by South West Africa until 1978, when administrative control was handed over to the Cape Provincial Administration.

Until that date, the State Veterinarian from Windhoek was responsible for animal health procedures like the rabies vaccinations and export quarantine of game. Thus until the incorporation of Walvis Bay into the Republic of Namibia during March 1994, the magisterial district of Walvis Bay was administered by the Republic of South Africa veterinary administration and the staff complement consisted of a quarantine master and workhand who's main responsibility was to attend to matters pertaining to the import of animals, animal products, fishmeal, as well as the export of hides and skins, whilst hygiene standards at the EU-approved Walvis Bay cold storage was also monitored to some extend. Additional non-related tasks were phytosanitary control at the harbour and even liquor import control.

Since March 1994 it was realised that Veterinary Services at Walvis bay was inadequate and other communities in the neighbouring Swakopmund magisterial district was neglected due to the long distance from the nearest State Veterinary Office based at Omaruru.

About the same time stringent EU-directives concerning hygiene certification of fish and fish products came into effect. After many discussions between various ministries the Directorate of Veterinary
Services was requested to take on the responsibility as Namibia's competent authority for the certification of fish and fish products. This decision was based on their long experience in the field of meat hygiene services and certification at export abattoirs, which in many respects, are very similar to those required for the export of fish and fish products.

by Theo van der Merwe in 1997 (adaptation Leopoldo Costa)

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