Modernization in livestock production: Technology boosts dairy farm productivity

Anova Agri Binh Duong's dairy farm, located in Phuoc Sang commune, Phu Giao district, incorporates various high-tech solutions in their dairy farming process, including livestock management using advanced software and mechanization. These innovations contribute to increasing productivity, improving milk quality, and maintaining food safety standards.

Nguyen Thanh Trung, CEO of Anova Agri Binh Duong, disclosed that the 470-hectare farm was established in 2013 with an investment capital of 215 billion VND. Notably, the company adopts advanced European herd management software for dairy cattle farming activities.

Climate control technology in the farms is monitored through the use of measuring devices and management software in order to maintain optimal temperature balance. Additionally, nutrition and controlled feeding technologies are applied according to specific age groups and cattle categories.

The company also employs automated milk cooling and preservation technology. Namely, milk quality management is automated through temperature adjustment in order to maintain freshness for extended periods.

"All these technologies are operated through a software management system, which have been localized into Vietnamese by domestic and foreign experts to facilitate knowledge transfer to farmers," explained Trung.

In addition to software management, mechanization in farming has significantly reduced production costs and labor, and enhanced production efficiency at Anova Agri Binh Duong's dairy farm. For instance, milking machines have reduced milking time per cow from 10-12 minutes per session to 5-7  minutes per session, thereby facilitating the expansion of livestock herds and improvement of milk quality.

Furthermore, mechanization has enabled proactive management of the milk extraction process, thereby maintaining food safety standards and reducing the risk of mastitis in cattle. This initiative helps minimize the risk of microbial contamination from the environment into milk products, which subsequently protects the health of livestock farmers and consumers through sanitary milk production environments. Furthermore, mechanization allows the company to meet the milk supply requirements imposed by purchasing agencies.

The amount of fresh milk processed in Vietnam is currently unable to meet market demand. As a result, domestic dairy companies are reliant on imported powdered and dry milk. Conversely, fresh milk continues to enjoy a strong market demand.

On the other hand, advanced dairy cow farming techniques help reduce production costs and improve milk quality in a consistent manner. Consequently, raw milk produced at high-tech farms is consistently priced higher than that from traditional livestock households. Anova Agri Binh Duong is currently maintaining a dairy herd of over 1,000 cows, supplying 8 million liters of high-quality milk to the market annually.

Tran Minh Duc, Head of Phu Giao district's Livestock Production and Animal Health Station, stated that the adoption of advanced technology and digital transformation in livestock production reduces labor time and physical exertion; as well as enhances accuracy and disease prevention efforts. The achievements of Anova Agri Binh Duong are the driving factor behind the local livestock sector's transition from traditional to modern farming practices.

"The value of high-tech agricultural production in Phu Giao district, Binh Duong province, reached 623 million VND per hectare annually by 2023. The transition from traditional small-scale livestock production to high-tech, digitalized farming practices has significantly transformed the local livestock structure,"  Tran Minh Duc emphasized.

Vietnamese dairy industry ready to join global retail chain

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