DAIRY FARM

People everywhere eat more animal products as their incomes rise above the poverty level and as they become urbanized. In Sabah, the palm oil, petroleum and tourism industries have improved the living standard of the people mainly in larger cities like Kota-Kinabalu, Sandakan and Tawau. There are no data to confirm the exact milk consumption in Sabah, but by 2020 developing countries will consume 177 million metric tons of more milk than they did in 1996 – 1998.

In line with the Federal government’s Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) as well as to diversify its source of income opportunity, in early 2012 the SLDB developed a 100-acre intensified dairy cattle farm on the land in Binakaan, Sook. The completion of its infrastructure in August 2012 saw the arrival of 250 imported Friesian-Sahiwal cattle’s.

A month after it’s arrival the cattle commenced its first calving and milk production. Operating under the Sabah Livestock Dairies Breeder Sdn. Bhd., (SLDBSB), there are 157 dairy cows presently under the roof in Binakaan which produces an average of 14.5 litres of fresh milk perhead perday. With sufficient milk and meat supply, SLDB is planning to venture into downstream processing of dairy and meat products.