Rural vitalization program flying high with Air China

Breeding stations

In 2020, Air China invested 7 million yuan to build a second station to breed Sonid sheep, balance environmental protection, conduct research on new technologies and improve the breed's reproduction rate by 15 percent.

A large number of professionals have been trained at the farm, boosting the development of regional agriculture and animal husbandry.

In addition to sheep, Sonid Right Banner has a tradition of raising camels, and Air China invested 8 million yuan to build a Bactrian camel breeding center. At its peak, the center had 400 camels. Last year, it produced 46 metric tons of camel milk.

Buyankheshig, head of Rashaant village, said the settlement earned about 1 million yuan last year by breeding livestock, including sheep, cows, horses and camels, and more than 200,000 yuan from raising camels.

"The camel is a sensitive animal. For instance, only its keeper can milk it: if a stranger tries to milk it — sorry, no milk today," he said, adding that experienced keepers sometimes sing to the camels to make them happy so they will produce better milk.

It's a profitable business, as a 900-gram tin of camel milk powder sells for more than 900 yuan, three times that of regular milk powder.

Buyankheshig added that breeding camels is more profitable than raising sheep, so more villagers are interested in participating.

Bol, 22, who graduated in veterinary science at a vocational school, is learning how to breed camels as his family plans to buy some of the animals and join the business.

Saintsogt, head of Ereennuur, said breeding camels brings a profit of about 13,337 yuan per year, while horses bring 8,550 yuan, cows make 7,771 yuan, and sheep come in at 650 to 1,350 yuan.

"We did the math. The income the herders make from breeding one camel is about the same as from breeding seven sheep. So, to make the same profit, herders have to raise more sheep, which means more pressure on the grassland," he said. "It is more environmentally friendly to breed camels than sheep."

Yuan Hui in Hohhot contributed to this story.

Contact the writer at luowangshu@chinadaily.com.cn