November 1, 2007
In the last three months, I had the chance to visit three different countries and see part of their dairy industry. It was impressive to see the factors and conditions that drives each country’s dairy industry in Japan, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia.
Japan is the closer to the North American dairy industry with Holstein cows, imported corn and soybean meal, application of technology, and herd sizes similar to the U.S. Challenges included the static milk prices while feed prices increase, reducing inputs to save money currently, trend to exist the dairy business, and large corporations looking to expand in to dairying (other livestock organizations). Japanese consumers are very aware of food safety and quality. A popular milk contains 4.4% milk fat along with 3.75%, 2%, and low fat milk. Little cheese or butter are offered or consumed.
Egypt remains a small farm survival approach with water buffalo milk common (containing 8 to 9% fat). Farm sizes are small with 4 to 6 milking buffalo or dairy cows for family use and sales locally (source of income managed by females. Milk pooling stations are beginning to form. Milk cows are handled and fed individually and seen as a valuable resource keep in the same building as the family lives. A few large Holstein dairies are being developed with political challenges and concerns.
Saudi Arabia is very futuristic with major financial resources available and encouraged to be invested due to oil revenues. Most labor is foreign. The one farm I worked with had 7000 North American Holstein and adding 2500 more. Alfalfa and corn-soybean based diets are fed with excellent production (over 70 lb of milk a day with day temperatures over 120 degree F). A cultured milk drink is popular in the summer which is a challenging time to produce milk. Cow cooling with commercial water and air movement was developed in Saudi Arabia and results in excellent cow comfort and high quality milk. These large farms are selling milk in the Midwest region. Security is a high priority for farms and visitors.
Dairy is part of all three companies economies, Egypt is critical for family survival and income, Saudi Arabia is a profit center with tremendous potential, and Japan’s industry is challenged and changing.
Japan is the closer to the North American dairy industry with Holstein cows, imported corn and soybean meal, application of technology, and herd sizes similar to the U.S. Challenges included the static milk prices while feed prices increase, reducing inputs to save money currently, trend to exist the dairy business, and large corporations looking to expand in to dairying (other livestock organizations). Japanese consumers are very aware of food safety and quality. A popular milk contains 4.4% milk fat along with 3.75%, 2%, and low fat milk. Little cheese or butter are offered or consumed.
Egypt remains a small farm survival approach with water buffalo milk common (containing 8 to 9% fat). Farm sizes are small with 4 to 6 milking buffalo or dairy cows for family use and sales locally (source of income managed by females. Milk pooling stations are beginning to form. Milk cows are handled and fed individually and seen as a valuable resource keep in the same building as the family lives. A few large Holstein dairies are being developed with political challenges and concerns.
Saudi Arabia is very futuristic with major financial resources available and encouraged to be invested due to oil revenues. Most labor is foreign. The one farm I worked with had 7000 North American Holstein and adding 2500 more. Alfalfa and corn-soybean based diets are fed with excellent production (over 70 lb of milk a day with day temperatures over 120 degree F). A cultured milk drink is popular in the summer which is a challenging time to produce milk. Cow cooling with commercial water and air movement was developed in Saudi Arabia and results in excellent cow comfort and high quality milk. These large farms are selling milk in the Midwest region. Security is a high priority for farms and visitors.
Dairy is part of all three companies economies, Egypt is critical for family survival and income, Saudi Arabia is a profit center with tremendous potential, and Japan’s industry is challenged and changing.
