The dairy sector in Africa’s biggest economy is receiving a boost as over 216 Danish Holstein heifers have been delivered to Arla Foods, the makers of Dano Milk.
Jimmy Johnmark, manager of Arla Farm, said the 216 Holstein-Friesian heifers arrived at their Kaduna dairy farm on May 9, 2023. According to Johnmark, the Holstein-Friesian breed has a much higher expected yield per cow compared to the local breeds.
He disclosed that the heifers, sourced directly from Arla’s farmer owners, travelled by air from Europe, arriving at the Mallam Aminu Kano Airport in Kano, Nigeria, in the early hours of Tuesday, May 9.
The heifers were then transported to the farm in special trucks that were adapted for their optimum comfort. The heifers have arrived in Nigeria ahead of the official commissioning of the farm which is scheduled to hold later this month.
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“We are very excited to announce that the Arla Farm is fully set to commence operations for milk production, to boost local dairy production, with the arrival of the livestock from Denmark” he said.
He explained further that the heifers have now settled into the farm and are getting comfortable in their new home, noting that milk production on the farm is expected to start in the third quarter of 2023.
Arla Farm, located in Kaduna State, is a state-of-the-art commercial dairy farm, established by Arla Foods to serve as a model for productive and sustainable dairy farming in Nigeria. The farm development project, which officially began in 2021, is one of Arla’s investments in Nigeria’s dairy sector and one of the steps taken toward backward integration in Nigeria.
Snorri Sigurdsson, senior manager, raw milk supply and production, Arla, said that the ultra-modern Arla Farm, the first of its kind in Nigeria, covers a land area of 400HA with the capacity to house 400 milking cows and in total 1,000 animals. It will feature modern technology for optimal animal comfort and milk production.
He further hinted that the Arla Farm has been developed to be a showcase for sustainable and efficient dairy farming in Nigeria.
He noted that with the completion of the construction work on the Arla Farm and the arrival and settlement of the heifers, all is now set for the official commissioning by Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State.
