Cow backscratcher improves milk yield at dairy farm

Cow backscratcher improves milk yield at dairy farm

2024-02-19

Fuxing Township in Changhua County boasts the most dairy cows in Taiwan, contributing a staggering quarter of the country’s milk production every year. One farm specially imported a backscratcher from Germany worth more than NT$100,000, solely for the purpose of massaging its cows. The farmer says that by making the cows more comfortable, they produce more milk of a higher quality.

A cow stretches her neck out to press against a rapidly whirling brush, looking thoroughly satisfied with the massage. This is a backscratcher built especially for dairy cows.

Chiang Yen-teng
Fuxing Township mayor
This farm is pretty special. They imported a machine from Germany to serve as a backscratcher. It also brushes their hair. The cows are comfier, and their coats are cleaner. They spent so much money to install this machine. This is a blessing for the consumer. Happier cows make for better-tasting milk.

Importing just one machine from Germany costs more than NT$100,000, all with the aim of helping dairy cows scratch hard-to-reach spots. But the farmer says he is willing to spend that much on making his cows comfortable, because his investment is returned with higher-quality milk.

Lee Chun-nan
Cattle farmer
The backscratcher is a form of animal welfare. Cows are just like us. If we have an itch we can’t reach, it’ll bother us. But cows don’t have hands, plus they have fur that gathers dirt. After a brush, they feel better. They’ll line up for a turn and find the best angles themselves. It also improves their circulation, meaning they’ll produce more milk.

Spending so much to reward his hard-working staff was an easy decision for the dairy farmer. The cows line up patiently on their own to brush away the grime. As a result, they are not only happier, but their coats are gleaming as well. This is what it means to enjoy employee benefits.

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酪農買刷背機照顧乳牛增加乳牛泌乳量

2024-02-19

彰化縣福興鄉的酪農產業專區，不但乳牛頭數佔全國之冠，每年乳牛的泌乳量也佔全國四分之一強，其中有一位酪農就特別從德國，引進了一台要價10多萬臺幣的刷背機，目的竟然就只是單純要幫乳牛來按摩抓癢，酪農說，因為只要讓乳牛舒服了，乳牛就能夠生產更多品質更好的牛乳。

乳牛乖乖的伸長著脖子，把頭緊緊靠在快速旋轉的刷子旁邊，看起來非常享受的模樣，這是專門為乳牛量身打造的刷背機。

[[福興鄉長蔣煙燈]]
"這場喔，他特別較特殊，他有買一隻德國進口的機械，替我們的乳牛來抓癢，也可以整理他的皮毛，牠會比較舒服，牠的毛看起來也會比較乾淨，然後他就花了那麼多錢來設置這個機械，這個是消費者的福氣，乳牛心情好的話，牠產的牛乳會更好喝"

從德國進口的刷背機，一台要價就要10多萬臺幣，目的就是要幫乳牛來按摩抓癢，酪農說，會這麼大手筆的讓乳牛舒服，是因為乳牛也會有善的循環，用最好的牛乳品質來當做回報。

[[酪農李俊楠]]
"這個刷背機算是一種動物福利嘛，乳牛跟我們人一樣，我們人如果背在癢的時候，抓不到，是很痛苦的，乳牛本身又沒有手，加上牠又有皮毛，所以比較會藏一些汙垢，刷一刷，牛本身也比較舒服。乳牛牠會排隊，會找牠自己不舒服的地方去按摩去刷，然後也促進牠的血液循環，增加自己本身的產乳量"

花大錢買刷背機，犒賞辛苦的乳牛員工，酪農覺得這筆錢花得很值得。乳牛自己乖乖的排隊，把污垢刷一刷，不但身體舒服了，毛色也變美了，這也算是犒賞乳牛，另類的一種員工福利。

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