Workers at the Tang Wobthang Community Welfare Dairy Farm in Bumthang are working towards expanding and revamping the farm. The two-decade-old farm owned by the people of Tang Gewog is now working on doubling its pastureland and buying more Jersey cows. The farm alongside the former Opposition Leader’s newly established mass organic vegetable farm is aiming at developing an integrated farming model in consultation with the people of Tang.
The farm located about 15 kilometres uphill of Tang Gewog Centre is spread across 2,000 acres of grassland. However, the farm has been using only 98 acres of the grassland as pasture. The farm is now working at developing more pastureland.
“We are sowing more fodder for our cattle as part of our pasture development works. We are planning to reclaim about 198 acres of land for pasture and we have already started working on it,” said Pem Namgay, the Manager for Tang Wobthang Community Welfare Dairy Farm.
Along with new pasture development works, the farm is also making more silage and plans to increase its herd and production. As of now, there are 97 cross-Jersey cattle on the farm with about forty milking cows.
The dairy farm was also initially established by the former Opposition Leader, Pema Gyamtsho (PhD) in 1998 when he was serving the Agriculture Ministry with financial support from the Helvetas and UNDP.
“Until this year, the farm just makes around a hundred tractor-trips of grass as silage. This year we are making three hundred. So, with increased silage, we are planning to buy another 200 cross-Jersey cattle. With that, we will be able to produce about 500 litres of milk compared to the current 150,” he added.
Various agencies such as the Livestock Department, the Bumthang Dzongkhag Administration, Tang Gewog office and the National Horse Breeding Centre are assisting the farm with fencing, grass cutting machines and other requirements.
“The Livestock Department provided 10 kilometres of electric fencing and the Bumthang Dzongkhag Administration provided an additional four kilometres to enclose our pasture. The Tang Gewog office has been supporting the farm with fodder seeds and other machinery and equipment,” said Nima Dorji, the Livestock Extension Officer at Tang in Bumthang.
The nearby Wobthang Organic Wonders or the WOW organic vegetable farm, initiated by the former Opposition Leader, Pema Gyamtsho (PhD) is also supporting the dairy farm. The vegetable farm, one of the biggest farming projects in the country is spread over 35 acres of land and cultivates organic vegetables aimed at supplementing the government’s food security initiatives in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The project has also reclaimed another 35 acres of land for mass potato cultivation next year.
“The two farms are working in close collaboration. For our pasture development works, most of the machinery and technical support was provided by the WOW project. We are planning to continue working with the project. We will take the unsold vegetables and other residues from the vegetable farm and feed them to our cattle while we provide them manure from our barns,” added Pem Namgay.
If all goes as planned, the two farms will become one of the largest and an exemplary integrated farming model of crop and animal husbandry.
Kipchu
