The Investment Board of the Holy Alawi Shrine, in the presence of the Deputy Custodian, the servants who are members of the Board of Directors, and the department managers, inaugurated the strategic and model project for breeding Dutch dairy cows-a unique project that, as the first specialized initiative of its kind in Iraq, represents a turning point in the scientific and systematic development of the livestock industry and milk production.
Mustafa al-Munni, Chairman of the Investment Board and member of the Board of Directors of the Holy Alawi Shrine, stated in an interview with the Shrine’s News Center:
“The establishment of this complex lays the foundation for a long-term strategic project aimed at creating sustainable job opportunities and strengthening the local economy, in a manner that reliably and continuously meets the needs of the holy city of al-Najaf and other cities in Iraq for milk and dairy products in accordance with standards.”
He added:
“This project was designed and implemented during the period from 2022 to 2026, and all its stages were carried out relying on the specialized expertise of the servants of the executive board for investment projects. In this regard, collaboration was established with a specialized consulting company in the field of cattle breeding and fattening, as well as with one of the leading and reputable Dutch companies.”
The total area of this complex is 100 dunams (in Iraq, one dunam equals 2,500 square meters) and includes 165 pregnant mature cows, all of which are maintained within a cohesive system of breeding and production in accordance with scientific and international standards.
This livestock breeding facility relies on the purebred and world-renowned “Holstein Friesian” breed, which is recognized globally for its high-volume milk production and superior quality.
Engineer Amir Ali al-Qanbar, the project executive supervisor, explained:
“The indoor part of the complex contains 7 halls while the outdoor part contains 6 halls, which together form the two main sections of the complex. Each hall has an area of 2,500 square meters with a height of 10 meters to create healthy conditions for the cattle which need both natural sunlight and clean air circulation.
He added:
“The project infrastructure includes a central milking hall, standard open spaces, dedicated agricultural lands for seasonal forage cultivation covering 30 dunams, and service buildings including veterinary centers, warehouses, and the main building for livestock housing.”
The advanced service and environmental systems of this complex provide mechanized pathways which handle waste recycling operations to generate organic fertilizer for forage cultivation and to maintain proper ventilation through its regular system which controls humidity levels to stop disease spread while the water supply system delivers purified disinfected water based on exact nutritional requirements.
The Holy Alawi Shrine considers this project its most significant agricultural investment program which demonstrates its dedication to international standards through improved production processes and animal health protection and dairy product quality control.
