AZE.US
President Ilham Aliyev on March 23 attended the opening of the Shirvan Agro livestock complex in Azerbaijan’s Shamakhi district.
The new facility is designed for 9,000 head of cattle and is expected to play a role in boosting domestic production of meat and dairy products, while also supporting employment in the region.
According to the project presentation, the complex covers around 100 hectares. It includes 3,200 dairy cattle, 3,000 beef cattle and 2,800 calves. The facility houses several breeds, including Holstein-Friesian, Limousin and Aberdeen Angus.
Officials said the complex is equipped with modern technologies, including AI-based management systems, and is among the largest livestock enterprises in the Caucasus and the CIS space. It is also described as Azerbaijan’s first livestock complex to use alternative and green energy sources.
The site includes a training center intended to prepare specialists in modern agricultural technologies. It also features large-scale rotary and parallel milking systems, online milk quality analyzers, a rapid milk cooling system and a reproductive center using modern genetic materials to improve dairy output.
A herd management system has also been introduced for early disease detection, feeding control and real-time monitoring of livestock development. Electronic collars are used to identify animals, track their health and determine the optimal time for insemination.
The complex also includes a modern feed center and a meat processing section with a dry-age chamber. More than 200 residents of Shamakhi and nearby districts have already been employed at the facility.
During a meeting with employees, Aliyev said the project was important both for the agricultural development of the Shamakhi district and for Azerbaijan as a whole. He said the country aims to reduce imports and move toward fully meeting domestic demand for meat, milk and dairy products.
He also said projects of this kind could eventually create export opportunities while strengthening regional development and job creation.