Twin Cow Livestock in Malaysia looks like a traditional farm with basic infrastructure. But a lot is going on here with feed.

Operating on 50 acres, the farm has 120 heads which includes heifers, calves and three bulls. At any one time roughly half the population are milking cows. The farm produces more than 400 litres of milk per day, an above average amount compared to 5 litres/cow produced on regular farms in the country.

Milk from Twin Cow contains 5% fat compared to 2.5% produced by regular farms.

“There is the regular feeding regime for milking cows. And I do extra. The quality of the milk I produce is definitely different. Cows consuming a diet rich in carbohydrates and proteins can produce good quality milk that I can sell at a premium, at least MYR 1 (USD 0.25) more than the market price,” said owner Major (R) Dr Kiruba Raja.

He plants napier that is harvested and brought to the barn. He said this is top grade. His farm workers are trained to keep the land well fertilised so that the grass grows broad leaves and thick juicy stems.

In addition to dairy cattle pellets, grass and soybean by-product, I also feed the milking cows porridge made from rice and corn twice a day. “So my cows are technically well-fed,” he said.

While the pellets, chopped up grass and soybean by-product is served on the ground the tub of porridge is emptied into the drinking water together with another ingredient – molasses.