Orange River Feeds’ (ORV) story is one of hard work and perseverance. The Botha brothers started ORV as a small feed facility, and today, it’s one of the largest feed companies in South Africa.

Over the past nine years, Yara Animal Nutrition (Yara AN) has also played an important role in this success story – and ORV still depends on Yara AN’s products.

The beginning of a legacy

Today, ORV is managed by six members of the Botha family. However, Johan Botha, the owner, says the business began with his late brother, Nico.

“In the 70s, you couldn’t buy lucerne from farmers because it was regulated,” says Johan. Nico, who then farmed on Kareehoek in the Britstown district, realised he’d need to devise a plan to get feed for his livestock.”

He bought 30 acres (approximately 26 ha) of land alongside the river and planted lucerne, which he then transported to Kareehoek. There, he installed a small feed facility. In 1982, he started to sell his feed commercially, and Johan joined him in 1989.

The partnership between the brothers was the beginning of wonderful things for ORV. After Nico died in 2011, Johan took the business over and continued building towards ORV’s legacy with his children.

In 2015, they installed a new, modern feed facility just outside Prieska in the Northern Cape. Today, they provide feed to farmers across South Africa and even in neighbouring African countries.

ORV’s impressive product range

Rocco de Villiers, marketing and logistical manager at ORV, explains that they are also irrigation farmers. The lucerne and maize they produce are used in the livestock feed factory.

“We have quite an extended product range that focuses on ruminants such as sheep and cattle. We also introduced an ostrich range recently,” he says.

Their sheep products include finishing and specialised products, such as lamb creep, lactating ewe and boerbok pellets. These products are successfully distributed across South Africa and its neighbouring countries.

“It is to our advantage that we have our own trial pen en feed pen on the farm. The products that we produce are therefore tested and utilised by us as well,” says Rocco.

They have a commercial wool Merino herd – and they only use their own products for this herd.

The ostrich products cover the entire growth curve of the animal – from starter pellets and growth pellets to finishing, slaughter, maintenance and broiler pellets.

“Our ostrich products are distributed to the Klein-Karoo, the Oudsthoorn area, Fraserburg and surrounding areas where ostrich growers use them,” says Rocco.

Nine years with Yara

Johan Botha is responsible for the operational management of ORV’s livestock feed factory, as well as purchasing raw materials.

“Raw materials are of critical importance to our business. We must be able to rely on our suppliers to deliver quality soil nutrients so that we can offer quality products to our clients,” Johan explains.

He says there are many P21 products on the market, but ORV has always received consistent quality from Yara AN – and that’s why they still do business with them.

“It provides us with peace of mind that we can deliver the best to our clients. Yara AN’s product really catches our eye, because the moisture content is very low and the phosphate uptake is very high.

“Ultimately, it means that the phosphate we include in our products is definitely utilised by the animal,” he says.

For ORV, the balance between macro- and micro-minerals must be correct. If this balance is disrupted, it can put the animal’s growth, fertility and health at a disadvantage. The kind of phosphate used, thus, plays a critical role – especially on green fields where phosphate shortages occur.

Phosphate also influences weaning percentages, which means that animals struggle to wean lambs.

Yara Kynofos 21: Quality that lasts

Jaco Noeth, Yara Animal Nutrition’s representative in the Northern Cape, has long been involved with ORV.

“Yara AN is very proud to be associated with ORV. They’re one of the clients that use our Kynofos 21, better known as P21,” he says.

Kynofos 21 is Yara AN’s mono-dicalcium phosphate (MDCP) and one of their best sellers. It’s produced locally at their factory in Umbogintwini, Durban.

“One of the big advantages is that we produce Kynofos 21 locally during a continuous production process. That means that our quality remains consistent with minimal variation,” Jaco says.

And that’s what Kynofos 21 is unique – the variation between loads is minimal. Each load is accompanied by a certificate of analysis that confirms that it was approved by their laboratory.

“One of the most important advantages for our clients is that Kynofos 21 is a highly absorbable phosphate. Therefore, the phosphate source that is used in their products is truly advantageous for the end user.”

Yara Animal Nutrition has been active in the industry for over 60 years. They have decades of research at their disposal, which is also to the advantage of their clients. Yara has representatives in every province in South Africa.

To find out more about their products or to contact a representative, send an email to animal.nutrition.sa@yara.com or visit their website at www.yara.co.za/animal-nutrition