China and Laos are moo-ving toward more sustainable cattle farming with a crossbreeding agreement that marks the first export of China’s coveted Huaxi cattle that are specifically grown to mature rapidly and produce high-quality meat.
The agreement focuses on crossbreeding local Lao cattle with high-quality breeds from China, utilising advanced breeding techniques to improve growth rates and body size, meat quality for market demands, adaptability to the local environment, and economic benefits for farmers, the Lao News Agency reported on Thursday, citing a memorandum of agreement signed by both sides on Tuesday.
The Huaxi breed was independently developed in China over 43 years, and it holds proprietary intellectual property rights, with its growth performance and meat quality reaching international standards, according to CAAS.
The breed is adaptive to various climatic conditions, with a meat yield of 53.95 per cent per head. Bulls can grow to 900kg (1,984 pounds), while cows can reach 550kg.
As part of the partnership, China will provide Laos with 100,000 doses of frozen semen from the Huaxi breed – which was validated by the National Livestock Genetic Resources Committee in 2021 – as well as 10 Huaxi breeding bulls.
