George-based farmer Nico Gerber, a co-founder of the group, is in Bloemfontein this week to meet with other volunteer administrators about the work ahead.

He says they have 40 interlinks full of fodder but are now in need of transport to get the feed inland to where it is desperately needed.He says alternative feed sources will also soon be necessary as farmers in the Cape are nearing the end of their feed production season:

“We should be able to still keep producing bales until about the end of December, maybe beginning of January. Then we won’t have feed left to send up.

“So the next challenge for us as a group is to tackle the irrigation schemes to see if we can get any feed from there.”

* Nico Gerber – next challenge

Gerber says it means a lot to be able to ease the suffering of animals:

“When you see cattle standing at a bale, guarding that bale throughout the night, you realise how hungry those animals must have been. How hungry must an animal be to stay with that bale in the hope that it doesn’t disappear or get finished?

“As a person it is an incredibly good feeling to be part of something like this organisation, to be part of a group of people who care for animals and in the same vein, care for the farmers in our country.”

*Nico Gerber - ease the suffering

The group is appealing for assistance with transport, donations of feed, or donations to assist with paying for transport.




Sabrina Dean/OFM News