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AFMA announces Kovsie as most outstanding student in Animal Nutrition

05 November 2021 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Supplied

Koos Van der Merwe Award copy — Andries van der Merwe was presented the Koos van der Merwe AFMA Student of the Year Award as the most outstanding final-year student in Animal Nutrition in 2021/2022.

Since childhood, a love of animals, nature, and agriculture has been instilled in Andries van der Merwe. He used to accompany his father, the local veterinarian in Postmasburg, helping where he could. “I can still vividly remember the first C-section I helped him with when I was about 12,” he says.

A few years later, Andries decided to enrol for his studies at the University of the Free State (UFS) in order to get his grades up to study veterinary medicine one day. “But when I reached my third year and started with the subject Animal Nutrition, I saw that I could make a bigger difference and contribution to the agricultural sector through nutrition. The moment I realised this, my mind was made up to study towards becoming an animal nutritionist,” he says.

Viable alternative to the excessive use of antibiotics

His master’s thesis on the use of tannins as a feed additive to increase the production efficiency of ruminants (sheep, cattle, and goats) is also looking for a viable alternative to the excessive use of antibiotics to treat certain non-specific ailments such as diarrhoea and skin diseases.

With his work having the potential to one day make a difference in the agricultural sector, as well as some encouragement from his supervisor, Dr Ockert Einkamerer, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Animal Science, Andries entered and won AFMA’s Student of the Year competition.

During a virtual symposium on 18 October 2021, the Animal Feed Manufacturers Association (AFMA) presented Andries with the Koos van der Merwe AFMA Student of the Year Award as the most outstanding final-year student in Animal Nutrition in 2021/2022.

“I have no idea what could have impressed the judges”, says Andries, who competed with students from universities across South Africa.

Making a contribution to animal feeding in South Africa

“I am the second student from the UFS to win this award. Gert Daniel Jacobus Scholtz received the award in 1998 – my birth year,” says Andries.

“It is an enormous honour for me to receive this highly prestigious award. I believe that the exposure I receive due to this reward will help me to secure a position where I can make a valuable contribution to the industry much quicker,” he adds.

De Wet Boshoff, Executive Director of AFMA, commended Andries: “I wish to congratulate you on behalf of the Animal Feed Manufacturers Association (AFMA) on winning the award. I believe it will encourage you to – through further studies and your career in the future – make a contribution to animal feeding in the Republic of South Africa.”

The award consists of a certificate and a cash amount of R20 000 sponsored by AFMA.

Andries is planning on completing his master’s degree. “I am considering a PhD and a Master’s of Business Administration. The latter is to ensure that I will be a vital part of any company in the industry,” he says.

“What is meant to happen will happen … you just need to have faith,” he believes.

News Archive

Walk to Cape Town closes on high note

2014-06-03

Photo Gallery of arrival in Cape Town
Dagbreek interview (kykNet) (YouTube)
Thank you from all UFS students (YouTube)

It was a gruelling road totalling a distance of 1 038 km, but the UFS #NSHstride team completed the challenge of walking all the way to Cape Town.

On Thursday 1 May 2014, Adéle van Aswegen and Ntokozo Nkabinde, both from the UFS, took on the road to Cape Town on foot in order to highlight the problem of food insecurity among students at the UFS.

Two kind-hearted Bloemfontein residents, Nico Piedt and Ronél Warner, tackled the journey together with them, not only to draw the country’s attention to food insecurity, but also to raise money to address the problem.

The hike, known as the No Student Hungry 1000/33 stride (or #NSHstride), came to an end at the St George’s Cathedral in Cape Town on Tuesday 3 June 2014.

About R500 000 were raised before, during and after the foursome’s hike.

The NSH bursary, established in 2011 by Prof Jonathan Jansen, the Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the UFS, and Rudi Buys, Dean of Student Affairs, aims to put food insecurity among students at the UFS under the spotlight.

Rudi Buys, Dean of Student Affairs, says: “We are completely inspired by the victory of a 1 000 km with one step at a time – as it reminds us of the courage of our students who beat hunger one day at a time.”

“The stride team challenges us to change our world for the better every day. We hope to continue their victory for students by challenging all universities to join the struggle for food security and will call a colloquium in this regard in October.”

These boots are made for walking ... to Cape Town (Article of 02 May 2014)
“Aren’t auntie and them hungry yet?” Country folk worried about NSH hikers (15 May 2014)
UFS hikers to Cape Town reflect on their journey (Article of 26 May 2014)

Daily updates:
(You can also follow us on @UFSweb for daily tweets)

Day 33: 2 June 2014
13:40
20 km
Sunset Beach, Cape Town

Day 32: 1 June 2014
16:05
26 km
Mervyn and Sanet Wessels, Belville

Day 31: 31 May 2014
16:31
39.6 km
Rhonell and Gavin Julain, Paarl

Day 30: 30 May 2014
14:00
16 km
Monte Rosa, Rawsonville

Day 29: 29 May 2014
13:16
31 km
The Habit, Worcester

Day 28: 28 May 2014
11:00
22.4 km
Monte Roza, De doorns

Day 27: 27 May 2014
17:00
21.1 km
Karoo Hotel

Day 26: 26 May 2014
18:27
43.3 km
Tows river

Day 25: 25 May 2014
12:18
Lord Milner Hotel, Matjiesfontein

Day 24: 24 May 2014
16:30
42 km
Laingsburg Country Lodge

Day 23: 23 May 2014
17:32
41.8 km
Vergenoeg

Day 22: 22 May 2014
16:42
43 km
Assendelft Lodge and Bush Camp, Prins Albert

Day 21: 21 May 2014
15:09
42 km
Leeu Gamka Hotel

Day 20: 20 May 2014
13:39
20 km
Alida, Springfontein

Day 19: 19 May 2014
12:31
27.6 km
Teri Moja Game Lodge

Day 18: 18 May 2014
First rest day
Nagenoeg Guesthouse, Beaufort West

Day 17: 17 May 2014
19:30
62.3 km
Nagenoeg Guesthouse, Beaufort West

Day 16: 16 May 2014
13:00
14 km
Taaibochfontein

Day 15: 15 May 2014
16:03
32 km
Travalia, Three Sisters

Day 14: 14 May 2014
18:33
43 km
Joalani Guest Farm

Day 13: 13 May 2014
17:30
33 km
Die Rondawels

Day 12: 12 May 2014
16:49
40 km
Aandrus B&B in Richmond

Day 11: 11 May 2014
39 km
Wortelfontein (Magdel and Christiaan)

Day 10: 10 May 2014
15:44
34 km
Hanover Lodge

Day 9: 09 May 2014
40.8 km
Camping between Colesberg and Hanover

Day 8: 08 May 2014
15:25
33.7 km
Colesberg, The Lighthouse Guesthouse

Day 7: 07 May 2014
15:08
23 km
Orange River Lodge

Day 6: 06 May 2014
15:57
51.06 km
Gariep Forever Resort

Day 5: 05 May 2014
12:18
28 km
Rondefontein

Day 4: 04 May 2014
15:27
35 km
Trompsburg: Fox Den

Day 3: 03 May 2014
17:30
46.74 km
Edenburg Country Lodge (Hotel)

Day 2: 02 May 2014
11:44 am
15.3 km
Tom's Place

Day 1: 01 May 2014
32 km
Leeuwberg

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