As Taiwan’s dairy sector looks to innovate and evolve, a Pingtung County-based operator on Thursday last week showcased products aimed at sustainability, drawing attention with a natural mosquito repellent coil made from cow dung deodorized by earthworms.
Dairy farmers, milk processors and food and beverage businesses that use fresh milk produced in Taiwan were featured at a news conference on “Domestic Fresh Milk and Industry Collaboration” organized by the Ministry of Agriculture.
In addition to fresh milk and a range of dairy products, Kaodah Milk displayed an item that resembled a handmade cookie, but was actually a natural mosquito coil derived from cattle manure.
Photo: Chang Hsieh-sheng, Taipei Times
The farm processes cow manure by allowing earthworms to consume and excrete it, eliminating its original odor, said Chen Yu-chen (陳宥蓁), general manager of Kaodah Milk and a fourth-generation dairy farmer.
The material is then sun-dried and mixed with used coffee grounds to produce a natural mosquito coil, she said.
The idea stems from a commitment to the circular economy, she added.
The coils were originally produced in small batches for farm visitors, but are now being prepared for mass production, she said.
Her family had operated as a traditional dairy farm from her great-grandfather’s generation to her father’s, focusing solely on raising cows and producing fresh milk, she said.
After she and her brother took over, they realized that the dairy market had changed dramatically and that simply following past practices was no longer viable, she said, adding that they decided not to just go with the flow.
After conducting market research in Japan, the company identified poor sleep as a major concern for consumers, she said.
As some people avoid fresh milk due to lactose intolerance, the farm introduced “night milk,” which contains gamma-aminobutyric acid, and lactose-free yogurt, she said.
The “night milk,” if consumed about an hour before sleep, can aid sleep, while the lactose-free yogurt converts lactose into glucose by using specific bacterial strains, Chen said.
Her brother, Chen Tung-chieh (陳東杰), who developed the lactose-free yogurt, said he welcomes the new ideas and approaches brought in by the younger generation, which have diversified the ranch’s operations.
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