SCIENTIFICALLY-PACKAGED: Premium quality goat’s milk
TUCKED away in an oil palm estate in Parit Jabong Darat in Tongkang Pechah, Batu Pahat, is a small dairy goat farm with about 450 goats.
 |
| IN SAFE HANDS: Kamel Jaini (left), the proprieter of Ladang Tok Janggut, inspecting one of the goats at his farm. |
 |
| SAILAGE: This is what the goats are fed. |
 |
| HYGIENIC METHOD: The goat’s milk packaging factory at Un Keng Farm at Parit Yaani, Yong Peng. |
 |
| WEll-stocked: Benjamin Lim says villagers are no longer opposed to having a farm close to their houses |
Its marketing manager, Benjamin Lim, 43, said the use of the cost-effective micro-organisme (EM), has certainly made an impact among villagers who initially opposed the idea of having a farm close to their houses.
They soon found out that the farm, which cost RM2 million to establish, did not emit any unpleasant smell which would have attracted flies and other insects.
“After extensive research, we decided to use EM which helps control insects and bad bacteria from infecting the goats and the environment.”
Lim, who was formerly in the textile industry and was forced to venture into other fields due to stiff competition from China, said he went into goat rearing after realising its enormous potential.
“We are still new but looking at the huge demand for goat milk, we are confident it will provide lucrative returns,” he said.
Dairy goat farmer Goh Un Keng, 43, said EM had helped improve the dairy yield and taste of the milk.
“The milk does not have the particular odour associated with goat and has a higher protein content. This gives our product an edge over traditionally-produced goat milk,” he said.
His farm, Un Keng Farming at Parit Yaani, Yong Peng, employs an improvised system to stimulate lactation and improve milk collection by playing soothing orchestral music to the goats during milking process.
Goh said the farm, which also traded in the Jamnapuri breed, had a modern dairy collection and bottling centre where the product was collected, packed and distributed fresh.
Ladang Tok Janggut proprietor Kamel Jaini, 43, said he used EM to prepare sailage (sprayed and fermented grass and other fibres used as feed) for the 2,000 Boer goats at the farm.
“We use napier grass, corn and mushroom which are shredded and sprayed with EM, and ferment it for a couple of days before feeding the sailage to the goats here.”
Kamel said the bio-technology method had significantly improved the meat texture, which had less fat content and was almost odourless, making organic mutton a preferred choice among hypertension sufferers and those concerned about their weight.
He said the presence of three types microbes in EM helped to improve the goats’ digestion and neutralise the urea in the body, making the muscle fibre soft and the meat almost odourless.
Meanwhile, state Agriculture, Agro-based Industry, Regional Development, Arts, Culture and Heritage Committee chairman Ahmad Zahri Jamil said the state government was promoting biotechnology to create a modern farming culture.
He said with EM, rearers would address three main issues — environmental concerns, better yield and organic feed.
Ahmad Zahri said the animal’s solid waste and urine would be immediately treated without the need of a septic tank.
“Untreated urine and solid waste will harm the environment. EM helps neutralise the acid and breaks it down to biodegradable particles which will not pollute the water system.
“By spraying it on the goats, it will protect them from harmful bacteria and keep them free from infection. The same goes with feeding as EM will eliminate fungus and harmful bacteria from the sailage while helping the goats to digest the feed.”
Most important, of all said Ahmad Zahri, the technology allowed modern farming to be carried out on small pockets of land.
“Johor no longer has vast tracts if agricultural land, so farmers need to optimise land use through biotechnology.”
Tiada ulasan:
Catat Ulasan