Milk Valley Farm receives more dairy cattle to boost production

BOTSWANA – Milk Valley Farm has received 205 high-yield Girolando dairy cattle from Brazil, marking another milestone in the Botswana Development Corporation’s continued scale-up to boost milk production.

This is the second consignment, following the first arrival in July. A further 206 cattle are expected within days, bringing the total imported from Brazil to 600.

“More than an arrival, this is productive investment in action — strengthening Botswana’s food security, reducing reliance on dairy imports and unlocking opportunities across the dairy value chain,” Botswana Development Corporation stated,

Milk Valley Farm is being equipped with world-class genetics, infrastructure, and biosecurity, with a long-term herd target of 3,000 cattle to significantly increase local milk production.

The Girolando breed, famed for high milk yields and adaptability to semi-arid climates, is well-suited to Botswana’s conditions. The first 186 pregnant cows will acclimatise under close monitoring of health and welfare.

Over the past few years, Milk Valley Farm has been laying the groundwork through significant investments in modern infrastructure, advanced farming systems, a carefully developed feed regime, and robust biosecurity measures.

Milk Valley Farm expands dairy herd to 2,000 Cattle to increase production

Earlier this year, Milk Valley Farm announced a major expansion of its dairy herd, scaling up from just over 260 animals to a projected 2,000 cattle.

The initiative, led by the Botswana Development Corporation (BDC), marks a significant step toward strengthening the country’s dairy sector and reducing reliance on imports.

At the core of the expansion is the introduction of Girolando dairy cattle, a breed renowned for its resilience in warmer climates and strong milk production performance.

According to BDC officials, once the expansion phases are complete and herd productivity stabilises, Milk Valley Farm will be able to supply substantially higher volumes of milk to the domestic market.

The farm, which rebranded from Milk Afric to Milk Valley Farm in 2025, was originally designed to accommodate 2,000 milking cows.

With the new expansion, it is poised to operate closer to its full capacity, potentially producing over 20 litres of milk per cow daily.

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