HEIFERMAX

I recently returned from working in Sabah, East Malaysia. The trip gave me the opportunity to gain an understanding of a dairy industry which is significantly different from many of the others I have seen in Europe, the U.S.A. & Canada.

Even the sub-tropical dairy industries in Florida and Queensland are significantly different from the industry in Sabah.

The industry there began 30 years ago. There are pockets of dairying around the country, with the main concentration being in the higher altitude Keningau region.

I visited farms ranging in size from 25 cows up to 500+;  many of these house their animals permanently in barns. Very few animals are let out to graze. Most farmers raise all their calves - heifers as replacements and bulls (kept entire) to sell as meat.

The unusual sight of mixed breed dairy heifers
grazing in a paddock in northern Sabah.

The cows are often infused with Holstein and, more importantly, Holstein X Sahiwal genetics; some are direct imports into the country from Australia and New Zealand.

The country has a secure rainfall, which is becoming a valuable asset to a dairy industry; it also has potential to grow a great deal of fodder suitable for dairy cows. One of the current difficulties encountered by farmers there is the lack of traditional sources of carbohydrate; cereal grains are almost impossible to buy, corn is quite expensive and local sources of carbohydrate are not farmed commercially. Palm oil by-products are used extensively as a source of protein and energy; the common forage used to provide fibre and bulk is Napier grass, a tall, lush grass which grows well in the area. Diets comprised mostly of these feedstuffs are limiting production and growth in young stock is also hampered.

Helping farmers to improve their cow and heifer nutrition by growing different crops would benefit the industry by allowing cows to produce more milk, heifers to reach growth targets more easily and bulls to attain slaughter weight at an earlier age.

The dairy farmers I spoke to were keen and enthusiastic about their industry and its future and were eager to learn modern management strategies. The Government has been very supportive of the fledgling industry which has the potential to become a nett exporter of milk in the near future.