Better Cows Give More Milk
Program Unit - Volunteer Technical Assistance
Country - Kazakhstan
Funding - USAID
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Snow-capped mountains define the eastern border of Kazakhstan, but most of this central Asian nation (nearly four times the size of Texas) is composed of vast areas of dry, grassy steppe. Here, countless generations of Kazakhs have devoted themselves to raising livestock-formerly as nomads, now mostly on farms and ranches.
Along with raising sheep and cattle for wool and meat, dairy farming makes up an important part of Kazakhstan's agricultural economy. Unfortunately, the traditional breeds of cattle used in dairying have poor milk productivity compared to breeds in the United States and other developed countries. |
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Winrock International, working through the Farmer-to-Farmer program of the U.S. Agency for International Development, sought ways to help Kazakh dairies improve their yields. Because importing significant numbers of cattle would have been logistically unfeasible, experts developed the idea of implanting embryos of more-productive breeds into cows on Kazakh farms. With funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the project was carried out by participants in Winrock's Volunteer Technical Assistance unit.
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Pennsylvania dairyman John Rodgers, one of the volunteers who transported the embryos halfway around the world, says that he and his colleagues "jumped through a lot of hoops, with governmental regulations and rules, but we got 'em there." Two hundred embryos were implanted into cows on eight farms in eastern Kazakhstan, and 89 calves were delivered as a result-a success rate comparable to that on dairy farms in the U.S., and far better than previous results in Kazakhstan.
Although it will be some time before improvement in milk production will be apparent, Kazakh farmers have already happily confirmed that their new-breed calves are taller and heavier than local calves of the same age. Winrock volunteers have also advised farmers on proper feeding and care techniques to promote the best growth.
As time goes on, the development of the calves will be monitored by Taurus Services of Central Asia, a cooperating partner in the project, as well as by returning Farmer-to-Farmer volunteers. In the meantime, other Kazakh dairies, noting the results, have asked to participate in the embryo-transplant program.
The embryo project is just one of the ways in which Winrock works with rural people to increase their incomes and better their lives. Winrock volunteer John Rodgers, for example, has advised Kazakh farmers on other methods to improve the genetic quality of their herds, has worked with local families to start agriculture-based businesses, has helped several farmers travel to the United States to observe management practices on American dairies, and has assisted Kazakh veterinarians in obtaining equipment (including an advanced ultrasound machine) with which they can better care for local livestock. As their productivity and incomes rise, the Kazakh farmers, as Rodgers says, "are thrilled with what's taken place."
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