São Paulo – Unusual is an understatement! The image most commonly associated with dairy cows of Dutch breeds is one of lush green, where the animals are happily grazing. Just look at the labels of dairy products available in supermarkets. However, in Saudi Arabia, the Al Hamra farm has 20,000 head of dairy cows of European breed in the middle of the desert.
ANBA visited the property located about 80 kilometers from the capital Riyadh last year as part of a Brazilian delegation. Not one piece of green in sight, only sand and bare land. The animals are kept in covered, acclimatized pens and are feed on hay, alfalfa and corn silage. Most of the feed is imported.
Milking is fully automated, and the size and cleanliness of the facilities impress, but you would be wise not to get too excited. This reporter decided to check out the milking up close in the exact moment in which the cow decided to relieve itself of lunch and, what is more, wagging its tail! Fortunately, management had given us white coats.
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The farm was founded in 1977 via a partnership between the Saudi and the Irish, but currently the Saudi have full ownership. It belongs to the Almarai food and beverages group. Many Irish staff still work there, along with employees from many nationalities. The veterinarian that was our guide, for instance, is Portuguese.
Translated by Sérgio Kakitani
