Xining, 17 Jun (Xinhua) -- The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in June has faded into a chill, and more than 100 camels at the Mohe Zhongqiao breeding site have raised their heads and looked around.
This is a camel taken on June 16 at the Zhongqiao breeding site of Qinghai Qaidam Nongken Mohe Camel Farm Co., Ltd. (drone photo). Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Fan Peiyan
"Bitch! Come here! As soon as Lamao's voice fell, a small camel rushed towards her. Lamao is a herdsman at Qinghai Qaidam Nongken Mohe Camel Farm Co., Ltd. Putting camels, putting them in circles, collecting camel hairs, delivering camels... The 23-year-old Lamao studied with his father at the Mohe Camel Farm for more than a year, and is now a "camel keeper" who can stand alone.
On June 16, at the Mohe Zhongqiao breeding site of Qinghai Qaidam Nongken Mohe Camel Farm Co., Ltd., La Mao comforted the baby camels. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Fan Peiyan
The Mohe Camel Farm, where Lamao is located, is located in Wulan County, Haixi Mongol and Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province. In 1955, after the abolition of the Tibet Transport Corps, it was transformed into the state-owned Qinghai Qaidam Camel Farm, which became a large state-run camel farm, now known as Qinghai Qaidam Nongken Mohe Camel Farm Co., Ltd.
"When my fathers first came to Mohe, this was a desert beach, and there were not a single trees in sight, all of them were dry sand, and the low, dry and hard desert plants were also blown to the color of sand by the wind." Zhang Shangyun, deputy general manager of Qinghai Qaidam Nongken Mohe Camel Farm Co., Ltd., said.
The living environment is harsh, and the camel breeding industry has also reached a low point. With the continuous improvement of the modern transportation network on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the demand for carriage transportation has decreased, and the number of camels in the Mohe Camel Farm has decreased year by year.
"No matter how bitter it is, we must persist." Planting trees in order to transform the environment and have better living conditions; Camel breeding, in order to inherit the spirit, protect high-quality germplasm resources. The older generation of camel workers cherished simple ideals and planted trees while raising camels.
This is a small camel photographed on June 16 at Qinghai Qaidam Nongken Mohe Camel Farm Co., Ltd. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Fan Peiyan
After generations of camel workers, the desert, which was once devoid of a single tree, is now an oasis. Poplars and willows are tall and handsome, and sea buckthorn and goji berries are lush. In 2020, mohe camel farm was also rated as "national forest rehabilitation base", becoming the first national forest rehabilitation base in the Qaidam Basin.
The environment has changed, and the camel industry has ushered in new opportunities for development. With the continuous improvement of people's quality of life, camel milk, camel wool and other industries have developed rapidly, and camels that can only be used to carry goods have new economic value.
This is a drone photo taken on June 16 at Qinghai Qaidam Nongken Mohe Camel Farm Co., Ltd. waiting to be milked. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Fan Peiyan
"A pound of camel milk can be sold for 40 yuan a catty just after being squeezed out, and if it is sent to the city, the price can be sold even higher!" Pull mao calculated an account, a peak of female camels can produce about 4 pounds of camel milk a day, 50 peaks is 200 pounds, a day of camel milk money can earn 8,000 yuan. Raising camels is no longer a "chicken rib", but a "fragrant feast".
Zhang Shangyun introduced that with the expansion of breeding scale and the improvement of breeding technology, at present, the number of camels in the Mohe camel farm exceeds 700 peaks, and the daily output of camel milk has reached 500 jin, and the camel milk industry has become a new driving force for the development of the camel farm.
This is a scene of the site of Qinghai Qaidam Nongken Mohe Camel Farm Co., Ltd. on June 16 (drone photo). Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Fan Peiyan
In addition to camel milk, many industries such as health care, tourism, and livestock product processing have also blossomed in the Mohe Camel Farm. In September 2020, Mohe Camel Farm was selected as the "Second Batch of National Rural Industrial Integration Development Demonstration Parks", and a series of industrial projects have also landed here: the "Tourist Starry Sky Room" has been built in the woods, and the old field house is being transformed into a "local style" homestay... This Mohe camel farm, which inherits the pioneering spirit of the older generation, is full of vigorous new vitality.