Page 35 - BCHNews-122023-Web

CHRISTMAS 2023  WC DAIRY NEWS 35
Have a
Merry Christmas
and all the best for 2024!
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in an additional source of income. Take Palm House Dairies in Kenya for example. Margaret Munene, the CEO and co-founder, discussed her journey in the dairy industry that began 25 years ago with a single cow and a dream to empower not only herself, but other women. She began processing with a small batch pasteurizer and purchasing small quantities of milk from farmers in the region. As of 2023, Palm House has grown into a dairy co-op processing 7000L of milk per day from over 500 smallholder farmers that are predominantly women. A pre-requisite for joining the co-op is having a bank account specifically in the farmer’s name, which allowed women farmers to have control of their earnings to invest back into their families, homes, and dairies. The co-op also provides services to its producers focusing on reducing feed costs, training in crop management and animal husbandry, and AI services to help improve herd genetics and milk yield. With dairy sustainability in mind, another speaker discussed the use of micro biodigesters on small dairy farms to eliminate the need for wood as a fuel source. Previously, a dairy producer might spend three hours per day collecting enough firewood for cooking and heating, as well as boiling water for sanitizing dairy equipment. The project provided families like hers with a small biodigester to provide a gas fuel source, eliminating the use of wood fires and thus improving cleanliness, and overall human health due to the elimination of smoke. In addition, the byproducts from the biodigesters provide an additional source of income to the families when they are sold as nutrient dense fertilizers. These were only two of the many examples of how dairy not only plays a role in advancing the lives of women and their families, but also the role that dairy can play in reducing the dairy carbon footprint, even for the smallest farm.
At the end of the summit, my brain was full of dairy knowledge and my heart was even more full of passion for this industry. Dairy at the global level is astounding and the strength of the industry in its entirety will never cease to amaze. Stay tuned for part two!
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Hydraulic Bale Claw
The Hydraulic Bale Claw places an emphasis on safety when handling large square bales. The tall frame holds retractable claws which grab the bales holding them securely as they are moved around. Ideal for producers storing and shipping large volumes of hay or straw, the Bale Claw increases the efficiency of large bale handling.
• 12 Hydraulic Claws • 72” Overall Height • 64” Overall Width
• 6,000 lbs. Capacity • 3 Kvernland Tines • Weight 1,090 lbs.