–as DDL eyes successful construction of multibillion-dollar dairy farm
CONSTRUCTION works for the establishment of the Demerara Dairies Incorporated’s multibillion-dollar dairy farm at Moblissa, along the Soesdyke-Linden Highway, are moving apace, Project Manager Wesley Kirton has said.

Kirton, during a recent interview with the Guyana Chronicle, said at least 50 acres of land are currently under cultivation for the farm to produce its own local feed. The facility is anticipated to boast new technology and the capacity to house over 900 heads of cattle.

“It is progressing well, we have done some seeding of corn and grass, some experimental plots and the response has been quite encouraging. Works will begin on the drilling of our first well. A contract was awarded a few weeks [ago] and the mobilisation of that would have started,” the project manager said.

Ultimately, the aim is to cultivate 500 acres of corn and other legumes, which will be processed and converted for cattle feed.
Already, construction works have been completed on a new concrete bridge, improving access to the construction site.
Rehabilitation works are scheduled to commence on a large section of the main access road to Moblissa, through the support of the Ministry of Public Works.

“We are now waiting for them to do an additional five kilometres of road which we hope they will do as soon as possible, because we expect a lot of the heavy containers and so on to come in for the structure; they will arrive in two weeks. So, we are hoping that some work can begin on that road to [facilitate] the smooth movement of those heavy containers and other equipment to the site,” Kirton said.

Simultaneously, works have begun on cattle pens and an onsite veterinary hospital. The idea is for the facility to be fully self-sufficient.
In the first phase of its operation, there will be some 915 animals: 500 milking cattle and 415 heifers.

Once completed, the project is expected to strengthen dairy production in Guyana and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
According to statistics provided by DDL officials, Guyana spends about US$35 million a year on the importation of powdered milk, while the region spends about US$180 million.

EXPLORING NEW TECHNOLOGY
In exploring new technology, Kirton disclosed that discussions were held with a foreign company to examine the possibility of using drones for seeding, fertilising and irrigation.

He said: “That is an option we would probably look at…we are proceeding with our wells and our irrigation system that we have designed, but it is always good to look at novel ideas and novel technology.”

The project introduces to Guyana a new and unique method of dairy farming, in that instead of allowing them to graze, the cows will be fed a diet of nutritional food grown on the farm, pens will be temperature-controlled to ensure their comfort, and each animal will be monitored, electronically, to ensure its health.