Corporate Dairy Farming Issues and Recommendations – Everfresh Dairy Farm

Everfresh Dairy Farm is a corporate dairy farm with two thousand cows. We imported these animals from Australia ten years ago. This dairy farm is one of the few farms in Pakistan that introduced corporate dairy farming in Pakistan on modern lines. These views were expressed by Bilal Haleem Sheikh, Executive Director of Everfresh Farms in a special conversation. He highlighted the different commercial dairy farming and corporate dairy farming issues in Pakistan. Besides the problems of dairy farming, he also discussed the tips for dairy farming. He highlighted different aspects of successful dairy farming in Pakistan.

کارپوریٹ ڈیری فارمنگ کے مسائل اور تجاویز، ایورفریش فارمز کے ایگزیکٹو ڈائریکٹر بلال حلیم شیخ کی خصوصی گفتگو

History of Everfresh Dairy Farm

The late Mian Muhammad Shafi started the business with his sons in 1940 with leather work. Shafi Group of Companies is now engaged in leather, textile, dairy, and food processing business. He said that seeing the bright prospects in the dairy sector in Pakistan, we entered the dairy industry in 2004. However, Everfresh Dairy Farm is providing milk and other dairy products in Pakistan according to international standards.

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Corporate Dairy Farming Issues as a Business

Bilal Haleem, Executive Director of Everfresh Dairy Farm, said that as compared to a normal dairy farm, a corporate dairy farm has to work on a corporate model. Moreover, this requires fulfillment of all legal requirements after registration with the Security and Exchange Commission of Pakistan. Furthermore, a corporate form operates on the basis of modern technology with large capital. While discussing the corporate dairy farming issues, he said that risk is the biggest aspect of farming. Therefore, financially stable business groups and investors should invest in corporate and commercial dairy farming.

مسائل اور تذبذب کا شکار ڈیری سیکٹر ۔۔ پروفیسر ڈاکٹر طلعت نصیر پاشا

Furthermore, he said, there is constant uncertainty in this business of corporate and commercial dairy farming. Aspects like climate change and fluctuations in animal production affect this farming. Moreover, changing economic conditions as well as policy changes at the government level have a direct impact on this business. While highlighting the problems of dairy farming, he said that it is very difficult for small investors to work in this sector. The current banking rate situation has made it more difficult for corporate and commercial dairy farming.

Corporate Dairy Farming Issues and Feeding

Bilal Haleem Sheikh added that the biggest challenge facing corporate and commercial dairy farming is feeding caste. Along with the capital for feeding, the availability of abundant feed and water supply is also a challenge. Furthermore, feed quality is paramount. It is important to give well-balanced and quality feed to each animal depending on its age, body weight, production, production stage, growth, pregnancy, activities, and climate.

While discussing the tips for dairy farming, he said that optimal feeding management is the key to successful dairy farming and profitable dairy farming. We offer the feed to each animal keeping in view its nutritional requirements. Along with this, the quality of all nutrients is also Important. Thanks to a balanced diet, the animal gets the food it needs. Besides fulfilling the nutritional requirements, balanced feed also reduces feed wastage. Most importantly, it increases the production while reducing the overall feeding costs.

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Commercial Dairy Farming Issues and Capital

He said that low production of animals is a big problem. Furthermore, access to capital, weak marketing infrastructure and uncertainty in land related contracts are the problems of dairy farming. There is no farmer involvement in production policy and there is a distance between the farmer and the government.

He further said that feeding is most expensive component farming. Feeding heavily depends on silage and Silage production is the largest farm cast. It is one of the major dairy farming issues. Farms purchase Maize in certain seasons for whole year silage and it requires huge capital.

پاکستان میں منافع بخش ڈیری فارمنگ کیسے ممکن؟

He said that banks should introduce a short-term loan policy at a low interest rate for dairy farms and suppliers related to silage. Banks should provide interest free loans to corporate and commercial farms for further overall investment and operations. Banks should available Silage loan and livestock loan facility to corporate farms as well as small farms. Besides this, economical livestock insurance and dairy machinery insurance schemes are also important for successful dairy farming.

Dairy Farming Issues and Taxes

Bilal Haleem Sheikh further said that import barriers and heavy taxes on feed additives, machinery and dairy equipment are also major problems. Government should provide to dairy farmers in this regard. Moreover, Government should introduce tax free import policy to support this industry which is new as compared to textile and leather industries. Along with this, government should allow import from countries where production cost of these products is low. Furthermore, Government should provide tax exemptions and other facilities for the import of more dairy processing machinery. Besides this, government should also introduce Green channel for ease of clearance. While resolving these issues, we can support investors for successful dairy farming.

Bilal Haleem further said that electricity and gas bills are a big problem. Government should restore electricity subsidy for dairy farms. Besides this they should exempt taxes and introduce special tariff schemes. Along with this facility of payment on three month installments should be made available to dairy farms.

Successful Dairy Farming and Reproduction

While giving the tips of dairy farming, Bilal Haleem said reproduction and breeding play the main and most important role in the productive economy of cows. An animal not calving on time or having calving problems directly affects profitability. The main target for successful dairy farming is to have a calf every year from the animal. This requires effective breeding and reproduction management on the farm. Moreover, the farm should keep complete records of the animal coming into heat, insemination and calving. Reproduction records make it possible to predict the breeding stage of each animal. Furthermore, it makes overall reproduction management easier.

پاک فوج کا بوائن سیکسڈ سیمن کی پیداوار کا منصوبہ شروع

Executive Director Everfresh Dairy Farm said that for better results, any abnormal discharge in any cow should be promptly examined and treated. If there is no conception after three services, management should transfer animal to veterinary care. Management should carry out pregnancy test after 45 days and 60 days of insemination. Provide a separate and clean place for parturition. Moreover, use Teaser Bull for weak or silent heat. He said that for successful dairy farming, we should always add the healthy animals.

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Health and Dairy Farming Issues

Regarding health related problems of dairy farming, Bilal Sheikh said that Hemorrhagic Septicemia (HS), Foot and Mouth Disease, and mastitis are common diseases. Moreover, Black Quarter, prolapse, milk fever and red water affect the farm. Furthermore, tick fever, tympany and blue tongue are the diseases that affect a dairy farm. He said, for successful dairy farming, timely vaccination is necessary. Furthermore, overall biosecurity is import to avoid the problems of dairy farming. Veterinary doctors and farm management should work together to for health management program.

He said that the basis of controlling these diseases is management. Farm management should ensure Biosecurity. They should take steps to implement it by setting up systems for it. He said that the most important factor for successful dairy is vaccination as per schedule. Always choose a quality vaccine from a good company. Before the vaccine, We should also ensure its cold chain. A veterinarian should always be consulted for the selection vaccine.

FMD in February – March, Black Quarter in April, HS in June – July, Anthrax in August, FMD in September – October and HS in November – December, This schedule is followed at Everfresh Dairy Farm and other farms.

Biosecurity of Corporate and Commercial Dairy Farming

Regarding bio-security problems of dairy farming, Director Everfresh Dairy Farm added that entry of visitors into the shed should be strictly prohibited. This will avoid the major problems of dairy farming. In this regard, all the concerned officers and the staff as a whole should be informed. Management should keep a complete record of visitors at the gate of the farm. Foot bath and wheel dip are the most important facilities to avoid the health problems of dairy farming. If one has to visit the shed, one should use disposable apron and shoes etc. Management should also restrict the entry of suppliers and dealers into the shed. Moreover, quarantine of new animals before entering the shed is also important.

معلومات: لائیوسٹاک میں ڈیورمنگ کے مختلف پہلو

Commercial Dairy Farming Issues and Waste Management

Bilal Haleem Sheikh of Everfresh Dairy said that dung disposal on a large farm is also one of the major challenges. Methane emissions due to dung are dangerous in terms of climate change. Due to lack of proper management of dung and fertilizer, problems like water pollution also occur. He said that we should go towards biogas plant and start mega projects under public private partnership in this regard. He said that Everfresh Farm is moving towards “Go Green” initiatives with to recycling and other activities.

Successful Corporate and Commercial Dairy Farming

While giving the tips for dairy farming, Bilal Haleem Sheikh said that dairy farming in Pakistan has to be brought towards innovation. Moreover, small dairy farmers will also have to be stabilized by resolving the problems of dairy farming. Corporate dairy farming should work on value addition while moving towards innovation. There is a lot of potential in the market in this regard. He said that by supporting corporate dairy farming and commercial farming we can deliver quality dairy products to consumers. This will also encourage the investors toward successful dairy farming in Pakistan.

پاکستان میں بھینسوں کی کامیاب فارمنگ کیسے ممکن؟

Editor In Chief

Dr. Jassar Aftab is a qualified Veterinarian having expertise in veterinary communication. He is a renowned veterinary Journalist of Pakistan. He is veterinary columnist, veterinary writer and veterinary analyst. He is the author of three books. He has written a number of articles and columns on different topics related to livestock, dairy, poultry, wildlife, fisheries, food security and different aspects of animal sciences and veterinary education.

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