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Russian Megafactories: cow's paradise in Novosibirsk

Irmen is the Novosibirsk region’s largest and Russia’s third largest factory dairy production company, the company has a total of 2450 cows.
By Slava Stepanov / GELIO, special to RBTH
The Irmen factory is located in the Novosibirsk region village of Verkh-Irmen. Its primary activity centers around producing and processing grain, milk, and meat. Milk makes up 50% of the factory’s output, while meat and grain make up 16% each.
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Slava Stepanov / GELIO

The Irmen factory is located in the Novosibirsk region village of Verkh-Irmen. Its primary activity centers around producing and processing grain, milk, and meat. Milk makes up 50% of the factory’s output, while meat and grain make up 16% each.
Irmen is the Novosibirsk region’s largest and Russia’s third largest factory dairy production company.

Slava Stepanov / GELIO

Irmen is the Novosibirsk region’s largest and Russia’s third largest factory dairy production company.
The company has a total of 2450 cows. There's a small perk in the difficult life of a cow: automatic scratchers. They're installed in every cow's pen. The way it works is quite simple. If a cow has an itch somewhere, it goes up to the device, butts it, and it starts to work automatically for a set amount of time.

Slava Stepanov / GELIO

The company has a total of 2450 cows. There's a small perk in the difficult life of a cow: automatic scratchers. They're installed in every cow's pen. The way it works is quite simple. If a cow has an itch somewhere, it goes up to the device, butts it, and it starts to work automatically for a set amount of time.
Each cow gives on average 10 thousand liters of milk per year. The factory is working on introducing new breeds of cow. In 2001, the factory's first breed, the Irmen cow, was introduced.

Slava Stepanov / GELIO

Each cow gives on average 10 thousand liters of milk per year. The factory is working on introducing new breeds of cow. In 2001, the factory's first breed, the Irmen cow, was introduced.
Field croppers plant corn that is then used to make feed for the cows. They harvest 320 thousand quintals of corn that’s then stored in a silo. John Deere combines are used among other varieties to harvest crops.

Slava Stepanov / GELIO

Field croppers plant corn that is then used to make feed for the cows. They harvest 320 thousand quintals of corn that’s then stored in a silo. John Deere combines are used among other varieties to harvest crops.
In order for a cow to start giving milk, it must reach 16 months of age and weigh at least 300 kilograms. Once it reaches this weight, it's inseminated. Nine months later, it gives birth to a calf and starts producing milk, when the cows reach 3 to 3.5 years, they're slaughtered for meat.

Slava Stepanov / GELIO

In order for a cow to start giving milk, it must reach 16 months of age and weigh at least 300 kilograms. Once it reaches this weight, it's inseminated. Nine months later, it gives birth to a calf and starts producing milk, when the cows reach 3 to 3.5 years, they're slaughtered for meat.
Cows are milked three times a day with 7-hour breaks in between.

Slava Stepanov / GELIO

Cows are milked three times a day with 7-hour breaks in between.
Only men milk cows, usually using special equipment to do the job.

Slava Stepanov / GELIO

Only men milk cows, usually using special equipment to do the job.
70 tons of "raw" milk are processed everyday in the dairy sector.

Slava Stepanov / GELIO

70 tons of "raw" milk are processed everyday in the dairy sector.
This results in 33 tons of milk, 25 tons of fermented dairy products, and 2 tons of cottage cheese. Wholesalers pay 25 rubles (66 cents) per liter of milk. The packaging in which it's sold costs 2 rubles (1 cent).

Slava Stepanov / GELIO

This results in 33 tons of milk, 25 tons of fermented dairy products, and 2 tons of cottage cheese. Wholesalers pay 25 rubles (66 cents) per liter of milk. The packaging in which it's sold costs 2 rubles (1 cent).
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September 4, 2014
Tags: novosibirsk, production, russian megafactories

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