Water buffalo help dispose of agricultural waste

Water buffalo help dispose of agricultural waste

2026-08-26

As peanuts in Yunlin enter the harvest season, farmers not only face losses from the heavy rains this year, they also need to deal with large amounts of vines from the crop that are left behind. After the rain stops and the sun comes out, bacteria easily breed in the fields. In the past, farmers would burn the agricultural waste before replanting, which caused air pollution. Lin Chia-liang, head of the Tuku Water Buffalo Shelter, has come up with a win-win solution: Using agricultural waste as feed for water buffalo, letting the animals to dispose of the agricultural waste.

From the air, one can see that this entire field has been set on fire. Another field nearby is shrouded in thick smoke. This is the result of farmers burning their agricultural waste. But they didn’t have to burn it like that. They could have simply gone to this guy for help.

Working under the blazing sun, Lin Chia-liang, who runs the Tuku Water Buffalo Shelter, is collecting dried peanut vines. They’ll be fed to water buffalo.

- Do buffalo like to eat this?
- Yes, they love dried vines.

In Yunlin, after the peanut harvest, farmers are always troubled by the large amounts of peanut vines that are left behind.

Mr. Chang
Peanut farmer
It’s more convenient to burn it, but you might receive a fine. Plowing it into the soil takes time, and it might breed bacteria. Feeding it to water buffalo is better; you can adjust their diet accordingly.

- So how long does it take for them to eat all that?
- About an hour.
- They can finish all that in just an hour?!

Converting agricultural waste into feed can not only reduce air pollution but also cut down the expenses on feed. Sugarcane leaves, corn leaves, and other agricultural waste can all be used as feed for water buffalo.

Lin Chia-liang
Tuku Water Buffalo Shelter
Whether it’s sugarcane, corn, or peanuts, we can help farmers process their agricultural waste year-round. One water buffalo can eat about 60 kg a day, so three water buffalo can polish off 180 kg. This agricultural waste is just supplementary food for them. Hay is their staple.

To effectively address the issue of agricultural waste disposal, Lin plans to set up demonstration sites to show farmers an alternative way to dispose of agricultural waste. He believes that putting agricultural surplus to good use is putting circular agriculture and environmental sustainability into practice.

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#buffalo #agriculture #animal #farm #sustainability

雲林花生藤農廢變飼料水牛安養中心"用吃的消滅它"

2026-08-26

雲林一期作花生進入採收期，農民除面臨豪雨造成的損失，也需處理大量花生藤等農業廢棄物。尤其雨後放晴，田間容易滋生病菌，以往農民復耕前，會將農作物殘株放火焚燒，卻衍生空汙問題。土庫水牛安養中心負責人林家良，想出"農廢物去化"，回收農廢作為水牛的飼料，用"吃"消滅它！

從空中俯瞰，這處整片農田直接放火燒；再看另一處濃煙密布，農田裡正在燒農作物廢棄物。其實不用這樣燒，只要向他請求支援。

大太陽下，土庫水牛安養中心負責人林家良來來回回收起曬乾的花生藤，要給水牛吃。

-牛就愛吃這個嗎?
-對啊，牠都愛吃乾草。

雲林作花生採收後，農民總會為處理大量花生藤等農業廢棄物傷腦筋。

[[花生農張先生]]
“燒掉比較方便，但會被罰，如果耕除也沒那麼快，耕除是怕會生細菌。送牛吃比較好，給牛加減吃啦。

-像這些牠可以吃多久?
-差不多吃一小時。
-這麼多一小時就吃完!?

農廢物轉作飼料，不僅能減少空汙，也能降低飼養成本，包括剝下的甘蔗葉、玉米葉等都能當水牛的飼料。

[[土庫水牛安養中心負責人林家良]]
"不管是甘蔗玉米或是花生的話，一年四季我們都可以協助農民，把他的農業廢棄物把它去化。1頭牛1天可以吃60公斤左右，3頭水牛相當於180公斤。這些（農廢）的話，等於是牠們的加菜而已，牠主要是吃牧草。"

有效解決農廢去化問題，林家良未來將規劃設置"農廢物去化示範點"，推動農業剩餘資材再利用，落實循環農業與環境永續。

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