VOA标准英语2010年-Farmers in Asia Turn to Machines, Wate

Demand for higher productivity has pushed farmers in Asia to let go of the water buffalo¹ as a farming tool. Today, governments and investors² are finding ways to expand the iconic beast of burden's role on the farm.

Millions of farmers in Southeast Asia rely on water buffalo to prepare the land for planting. The smaller tractors they can afford leave deep wheel marks that ruin water distribution in the rice paddy. One farmer in the Philippines says he still prefers the buffalo because it loosens and turns up the soil more evenly.

But for highly productive rice farms machines have replaced slow-moving buffalos. 

"Nowadays, less and less people use buffalo," said Runchuan Hengtrakulsin, who has been working on alternative uses for buffalo for more than seven years. Inspired by Italians who produce mozzarella cheese using the milk of buffalos imported from India decades ago, she has established Thailand's first buffalo dairy farm.

"I think there should be a new mission for buffalo, some new environment for buffalo, so buffalo, especially in Thailand, they should have a job to do," she added.

But local water buffalos do not produce enough milk. So, Runchuan imported murrah buffalos from India and Pakistan, which can produce more than 1,500 kilograms of milk in about 10 months.

It took her several years to cross-breed buffalos to increase milk production. Now, she focuses on expanding her product line, starting with mozzarella.

But marketing³ products from buffalo milk is a challenge. Thais, she says, not only think buffalo milk is inferior to cow's milk, but that it can also lower their intelligence.

"When they come here, children reject buffalo milk…. Buffalo milk is very, very rich in nutrition - higher protein, higher calcium⁴, and low in cholesterol," Runchuan said.

And breeding buffalos, she says, is easier than imported dairy cows.

But it costs $300 a day to operate the 72-hectare farm, which is home to 300 buffalo. A profit, she says, is still a long way away.

With growing demand for milk in Asia, Runchuan hopes for greater government support and perhaps a new role for the long neglected buffalo.
 

1 buffalo   

n.(北美)野牛；(亚洲)水牛

参考例句：

• Asian buffalo isn't as wild as that of America's. 亚洲水牛比美洲水牛温顺些。
• The boots are made of buffalo hide. 这双靴子是由水牛皮制成的。

2 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

3 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
• He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。

4 calcium   

n.钙(化学符号Ca)

参考例句：

• We need calcium to make bones.我们需要钙来壮骨。
• Calcium is found most abundantly in milk.奶含钙最丰富。