Stefan Weiskopf, CEO of #Antelliq, shared some thoughts about the importance of proper livestock identification at the opening of the #AllflexSAOffice for Allflex South Africa in Somerset West. Allflex is an Antelliq company.
He also talks about the expansion of #Allflex in South Africa and the rest of Africa.
In tough economic times with business confidence at a low ebb, it is reassuring to see agribusinesses expanding their footprint in South Africa and the rest of Africa, showing confidence in the sector.
Allflex South Africa recently showed this confidence when they officially opened their new offices in the Olive Grove Business Park in Somerset West. Allflex SA is part of the Allflex Group, a subsidiary of Antelliq.
The Allflex Group is a world leader in the design, manufacture and delivery of animal identification technology, helping livestock producers use individual animal identification as a key management tool. The group has manufacturing and technology subsidiaries in the US, Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil and China and its products are distributed in 80 countries.
The company’s challenge is to continually bring products, services and advice to the industry and create workable solutions in real-life conditions.
Allflex in South Africa
Allflex South Africa was established in 2010, to provide animal ID solutions for livestock producers. As the pace of the livestock industry accelerates, the need for access to accurate information is increasingly important. Since 2010, Allflex South Africa, under the leadership of managing director, Deon de Jager, has expanded rapidly. The company needed more personnel and office space. De Jager explains that the company has 18 representatives across South Africa and that Allflex products are traded through co-operations and veterinarians. “We also service Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Lesotho and Swaziland from the South African offices. South Africa and the rest of Africa remains an obvious priority of the Allflex Group and Antelliq.”
Livestock Intelligence
The international leadership team of Antelliq, the parent company, attended the Western Cape launch. Stefan Weiskopf, CEO of Antelliq, shared some thoughts about the importance of proper livestock identification and the concept of livestock intelligence.
Livestock intelligence, which consists of identification and monitoring, could be compared to passports and monitoring devices like fitbits, says Weiskopf. “The animal’s passport is the eartag. When it comes to monitoring, modern devices are required to monitor each animal and extract the necessary data for informed decision-making. Allflex supplies tools that can be seen as fitbits for livestock.”
Weiskopf says that proper livestock identification is the prerequisite of almost all animal health interventions. This might be for disease eradication, vaccination monitoring and managing outbreaks such as the current foot and mouth disease outbreak. “It is not only important to animal health, but to all aspects of modern livestock management. If you know exactly which animal received what intervention when; how an animal improved over time; which animal received what diet and a host of other information, you can make informed decisions on the farm with higher productivity as a goal.”
Improved identification that leads to better traceability in the livestock industry, also benefits the consumer and will increase consumer confidence in the meat industry. “Remember, more and more consumers want to know where the meat on their plates comes from. Livestock intelligence offers the necessary solutions.”
The identification and monitoring of livestock a a prerequisite for modern animal management. “We encourage all farmers to make use of the various tools out there to ensure better livestock identification and monitoring. Whatever your preferred tool may be, use it,” says Weiskopf. – Marike Brits, AgriObrit