Both Dairy and beef cattle are kept along the upper slopes of the Rhine rift valley. Dairy farming is however the most important. It is practiced to produce dairy products such as milk, cheese and butter.

Milk is also used in the making of chocolate. Dairy cattle kept are Friesians, Swiss Brown, Aldermen and Jersey. Beef cattle kept are Aberdeen Angus, Hereford, Galloway, Devon and shorten.

Conditions That Have Favoured the Development of Livestock Farming In Germany:

• Favourable temperate climate of cool (mild) temperatures with a moderate to heavy rainfall above 1000mm p.a and a moisture retentive ground which favours grazing of livestock.
• Low lying relief in the Rhine valley and the gentle slopes enable free movement of dairy cattle as they graze without dangers of stumbling to break their legs.
• Presence of abundant natural pasture (alpine vegetation) supplemented with rich and nutritious grasses in the dairy farms.
• Presence of permanent water sources for drinking since dairy cattle requires a lot of water to yield more milk.

• Presence of a large market for dairy products has encouraged large scale dairy farming. Milk is exported to Switzerland, USA and Canada.
• Presence of onsite milk processing machines (Creameries) on most dairy farms which turn the perishable milk into marketable dairy products like butter, cream and cheese for export.
• Well developed transport routes used for collecting of milk from farms to households or market centres in Mainz and Haardt.
• Presence of cooperative farming organizations that teach dairy farmers better farming methods.
• Modern technology such as automatic milkers, milk pasteurizing equipment, vacuum containerization/sealing for packaging of dairy products.
• Presence of adequate capital to purchase automatic milkers and cattle feeds.
• Presence of highly skilled labour to feed, treat and milk cattle.

• Intensive research carried out by the Germany cooperative movements to breed high yielding milk cattle varieties.
• Germany is politically stable country making it easy to improve and develop the dairy sector.
• Supportive government policy through tax incentives to dairy farmers.

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