COW FARM:

WRITTEN BY HAMISI A. HAMISI AND HEMED HALIFA KILUVIA (BGY PARTICIPANTS BOTH FROM J.K. NYERERE SECONDARY SCHOOLS – KILIMANJARO - TANZANIA)

It was another Friday the 21^st of August 2009, in the morning at about 8.30 when we all met at Anders Brandt’s house in Hundslev – Augustenborg, for self studying before we left at 12.15PM to a cow farm. We took what the Danish people call a Taxi which was like a size of a mini bus in Tanzania. We arrived at the farm at 1.30 PM which was 30 minutes before the appointment time. Being early or late was something we learnt in our tour to different areas we visited. The manager had already scheduled his program and therefore he told us to wait til 2.00 PM.

We saw how cows were milked by using special computerized sucking instruments and how milk was stored in big containers during the milking process. Each cow gave an average of thirty litres per day. However there were some cows which gave about forty five liters of milk per day. Then, we saw how cows were separated according to their health, how calves were kept, the feeding system, the cleanliness of their area, how cows were inserminated and different types of food they were given. Food given to cows comprised of sunflower cake, wheat, soya beans, maize and grass.

The number of workers was only four with more than two hundred and forty milked cows. Almost every work done was either computarized or supported by machines. The milking

activity was computerized for recording purposes. Big tractors were used to distribute special prepared food for cows and calves. Milk tankers come to the farm to collect milk produced and send it to the dairy plant for other process.

At about 3.30 PM, with a lot of happiness from all participants, we left the cow farm by public bus and went to Sondeborg town. We really learnt a lot. Thanks to all those who have financed and planned our tour and stay in Denmark, it was really a successsful trip for both parties.