A small shipment of cattle is heading for Cambodia to help a charity. Photo: Cows for Cambodia

A SMALL shipment of Queensland cattle have been sent to a charity in the south-east Asian country of Cambodia – with the aim of helping families break the poverty cycle.

Cows for Cambodia was set up by Australian Andrew Costello and it loans pregnant cows to people living below the poverty line and assists them in looking after them until calving.

Last month, a shipment of six brahman cattle, four bulls and two heifers, from Queensland producer Wallace Gunthorpe, culminated almost a decade of work. Mr Costello said it was a dream for the charity.

“These Aussie brahmans will join the charities’ core breeding herd,” he said.

“Each of these animals will make an enormous difference to the lives of those working with the charity. We have been working on importing Australian genetics for years now, it’s a dream come true.”

The charity teamed up with Brisbane based exporter, and one of the most experienced and largest livestock exporters in the world, AUSTREX to support the safe delivery of the cattle to Cambodia.

Mr Gunthorpe said he planned to meet the cattle on their arrival into Cambodia.

“It is very exciting to finally have our Australian cattle herd join our Cambodia herd. These new genetics will improve the quality considerably. The new cattle have settled in well. Happy cattle, happy people.”

The charity not only acts as a ‘cow bank’, but builds homes for families, provides education through a schooling program and conducts regular ‘rice runs’ donating food stuffs directly to those who need it most.

Cows for Cambodia runs a series of fundraising activities, including tours of the local villages and its home base vaccinating and pregnancy testing cattle.

To support these activities this week 80 Australian volunteers will be traveling with Cosi to Siam Reap, to support activities of the group and get a first-hand experience of the charity is trying to achieve.

“It’s important Australians understand that there are charities out there putting their money where their mouth is and not just working to improve animal welfare in South-East Asia. But doing it while also assisting in lifting people out of poverty and putting food on the tables of their families” said Mr Costello.

The charity is aiming to have more than 1,000 cows as part of the project. Achieving this milestone remains front and centre for the charity and will make Cows for Cambodia one of the largest and most effective Australian Agriculture charity projects in South East Asia.

Source: Cows for Cambodia