The HCM City Department of Agriculture and Rural Development officially opened yesterday the Dairy Demonstration and Experiment Farm in Binh Chanh District.— VNA/VNS Photo

HCM CITY(Biz Hub)— The HCM City Department of Agriculture and Rural Development officially opened yesterday the Dairy Demonstration and Experiment Farm in Binh Chanh District.

The 10-ha farm, construction of which started in 2011, will apply Israeli know-how in raising high-productivity cows, farm management, nutrition and other veterinary practices.

The project stems from a MoU on technical co-operation signed in 2007 by the HCM City Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and Israel's Agency for International Development Co-operation (MASHAV).

Department director Le Thanh Liem said around two-thirds of the project cost of VND70 billion (US$3.33 million) was sourced from the city's budget and the remaining $1 million from non-refundable ODA.

The Centre for Management of Animal Genetics and Seeds Evaluation has been assigned to be investor and operator of the project.

The project aims to increase milk productivity to reach 8,000kg per cow per year and lower production costs.

It will later expand the farm's practices, including total mixed ration (TMR) feeding, to other localities.

Since the project began, 30 Israeli experts have been sent to Viet Nam.

Average milk productivity in the farm is estimated at 17.3kg per cow per day. The cows are milked three times a day.

The HCM City Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and MASHAV yesterday signed a renewal of the MoU until 2017.

According to the department, HCM City has a total of 93,000 dairy cows, accounting for nearly 54 per cent of the country's total. Of these, 42,000 are milch cows. Average milk yield in the city is 15kg per cow per day.

The city produced 231,500 tonnes of fresh cow milk last year, accounting for 61 per cent of milk production in the country. —VNS