Woltemade

After driving on gravel roads for several hours and passing more wart hogs and oryxes than oncoming cars, the car finally reaches the gates of Woltemade. Warmly welcomed by the family and dogs, this hunting and cattle farm in the vast region of Otjozondjupa in central Nambia will be home for the next two weeks.

PART 1: Moving Cattle

A short pause after the gates are opened wide. Suddenly, on the edge of panic, the herd of cows starts to flow through the narrow opening and scatters in the tall grass at the side of the road. 'How many did you count?' asks Martin, when about 120 young female cows continue grazing. After twelve kilometers and two hours of intense herding, the cows reach their destination, a field at the other end of the farm. And again, hesitation at the open gate of their new home. A final 'Shoo!' and the herd starts to rush by.

Part 2: Hunting Trophies

A distant sound of a gunshot. Soon after, a car approaches the farm and hunters unload their kill. In the back of the farm's butchery the animal's head and coat are quickly separated from the body and the eviscerating continues. Small pieces of meat float in a kettle of boiling lye water while coarse-grained salt is rubbed into a coat to preserve it. The smell of slightly burned bone material fills the air as the angle grinder starts screaming. A pair of wart hog tusks and the bleached skulls of a kudu, a hartebeest and two oryxes are ready for shipping.

Part 3: Meat Processing

After its return from another hunting farmer, the doors of the refrigerated van open and 1.6 tons of eland and oryx meat appear. The railing system of the van is connected and dozens of haunches, flanks and shoulder pass on its way to the cold room. In the morning of the following day, the meat grinder starts running and spits out hundred of kilos minced meat that are packed or processed to sausages before the doors of the van open again to load the latest order of Namibia's supermarkets.