Jersey cows helping boost milk yields in Nepal

Jersey Cows Helping Nepalese Farmers Boost Milk Quality and Income

A project involving Jersey cows is transforming dairy farming in Nepal, with local farmers seeing major improvements in milk quality and yield. The initiative has been hailed as a “real success story” in tackling poverty, according to Jersey Overseas Aid.

Under the four-year program, genetic material from Jersey cows is being sent to Nepal to allow cross-breeding with local cattle. This process aims to enhance milk production and improve the nutritional quality of the milk. The scheme is a collaboration between Jersey Overseas Aid, Project Heifer, and the Royal Agricultural Society, working alongside three farming co-operatives in Nepal.

Sara Peeters from Heifer Netherlands, who recently visited farms in Jersey, said the project was making a meaningful difference to the lives of Nepalese farmers. “Their own cows only produce a couple of litres of milk, and the quality is quite low,” she explained. “By improving the breed, farmers can produce better milk and earn higher prices.”

To achieve this, laboratories in Nepal are helping farmers use Jersey cow semen for cross-breeding, gradually improving local cattle genetics.

Ed Lewis from Jersey Overseas Aid described the initiative as “a uniquely Jersey way of addressing inequality and poverty.” He added: “It’s remarkable to think that a cow from a small island in the English Channel is having such a transformative impact on communities in Nepal and across Africa. It’s a wonderful example of Jersey’s growing role on the global stage.”