Draft:City University of Hong Kong Teaching Farm

City University of Hong Kong (CityU) officially inaugurated a teaching farm in Lam Tsuen, Tai Po, on 16 November 2022 in order to promote trading of veterinary medicine, the concept of One Health and ensure public health and animal welfare.

The teaching farm introduced 24 Jersey cows in November 2022, which had been selected since they could stand warm climates in Hong Kong owing to their environmental oddity. Jersey cows also produce quality milk, with a high fat content than other breeds, making it more desirable for both nutritional and educational purposes.

This first lot of 24 Jersey cows came from Australia in September 2022, and several of these were already pregnant. The reason behind such selection is to ensure that the herd increases in a sustainable way and grows to its expected number These pregnant cows were expected to calve early in 2023 and thus be an opportunity for students to witness birthing and gain practical experience in newborn care of the calf and management of maternal health as important elements of the veterinary curriculum.

By-products

Coffee Cart in Purple Zone of Yeung Kin Man Academic Building

The by-products of daily cows are CityU Milk and CityU Milk Ice-cream, which is launched on May 25, 2023 and February 14, 2024 respectively. The selling price of each box of milk is HKD 9 while that of ice-cream is HKD 28. The purpose behind the sales of dairy products are not solely for commercial use, but to avoid wastage of resources the produce will be sold within the university.

The CityU Milk produced by Jersey cows contains the A2 beta-casein protein, which is easily absorbed by the human digestive tract. The CityU ice-cream features six flavours, including five regular flavours - Milk, Sesame, Roasted Tea, Pomelo and Chocolate - and one rotating flavour, currently Strawberry. Up to now, the sales these products are only available at the campus area, which can be purchased at the Coffee Cart in Purple Zone of Yeung Kin Man Academic Building. The milk produced by CityU Farm is mainly used for academic purposes and consideration will be given to selling the milk in local supermarkets in the future.

Professor Vanessa Barrs, Dean of the Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences (JCC), mentioned that each cow produced an average of about 20 to 30 litres of milk per day, and the 25 dairy cows produced an average of 475 to 600 litres of milk per day. that there were no plans to expand to other outlets for the time being as the cows did not produce much milk. She also pointed out that the supply of ice cream varied from month to month.The supply of milk can only support the sales of by-products in campus. Since CityU does not emphasis high production rate, there is no consideration to expand the sales.

Related Social Events: Animal Protection Organisations Protest Incidents

On January 18, 2023, around 10:30 am, a number of animal protection organisations staged a protest and petition at the corridor connection between Festival Walk and CityU.

The motive behind the protest is that CityU introduced 24 Jersey cows from Australia in September 2022 to teach Vet students about animal husbandry and animal welfare. Animal protection organisations believed that the milk and ice-cream products supplied from the milk of these cows were deprivation of animal welfare.

On that day, a number of animal protection organisations initiated a silent stand and submitted a petition at the pedestrian underpass connecting CityU to urge CityU to protect the welfare of cattle. The University sent staff to receive the petition. About 900 people and more than 10 organisations signed the petition and handed it to the representatives of the School of Animal Medicine and Life Sciences of the CityU Jockey Club.

In response, Professor Vanessa Barrs, Dean of the (JCC) responded that CityU cares for its cows and "meets the highest animal welfare standards in the world" and emphasises that it does not pursue the high milk production of other farms.