Bring the family to see cows on a visit to Baladna Farm, a huge dairy facility. Even if you were raised on a farm, the state-of-the-art facility will be immensely impressive. Up to 24,000 cows live here in comfort at a site that covers nearly 600 acres (240 hectares).
Baladna Farm is a major producer of dairy products to meet the food and drink needs of Qatar’s population. Note that farming in Qatar has difficult challenges, with temperatures up to 110 to 120 F (40 to 50 C) and very limited availability of livestock feed.
The site serves as a model for other nations dealing with similar challenges. Baladna has hosted delegations from Kenya, India, Texas and other warm-climate spots interested in innovative methods such as using cooled sand to keep cows comfortable.
Prior to 2017 very little of this operation existed. Baladna Farm began in 2014, primarily raising goats and sheep. Within months after a Saudi-led boycott of Qatar cut off the nation’s imported milk supply, Baladna began airlifting cows from other nations to build its stock. Gaze at cows that have come from Hungary, Germany, Australia, Netherlands, Canada and the United States, all now living comfortably in Qatar.
View the fully automatic milking process from the visitor center. Operations use a rotary milking process to milk the cows three times a day. The liquid is then turned into processed milk, yogurt, cheese, labneh, long-life milk and other dairy products.
Wander through the small on-site garden. Take kids to see the mini-zoo, which has animals such as zebras, monkeys, camels and ostriches. Let the kids ride on a pony and have fun on playground equipment.
Other activities include bumper boats, zip lines, bicycles, a climbing wall, archery, train rides and a bungee trampoline.
Before or after your tour, enjoy lunch at Baladna Farm’s restaurant that features farm-fresh meat and dairy products.
Drive north from Doha to Baladna Farm in the Umm Al-Hawaya area near Al Khor in less than 1 hour. Buy admission tickets at the farm. Additional payments are required for individual activities. Visiting hours are from morning to mid evening.
