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ULANQAB, Sept. 23 (China Economic Net) -- Three cows, four brothers and just 500 yuan may sound like an unlikely foundation for a modern dairy company, but that is the story behind Lan Gege Dairy in Ulanqab, Inner Mongolia, where a family's traditional yogurt-making skills have evolved into a modern enterprise spanning dairy farming, research, automated production and distribution across China.

The company's story may offer lessons for Pakistan, one of the world's major milk-producing countries, where the challenge is not only to produce more milk but also to improve productivity, processing, quality, branding and value addition.

According to Wang Wei, brand general manager at Inner Mongolia Lan Gege Dairy Co., Ltd., the company's "3-4-5" story refers to three cows initially received by family members following the restructuring of a state-owned dairy plant, four brothers who later built the business around those cows, and the 500 yuan they pooled to buy basic equipment and start producing and delivering milk.

"What began with three cows and 500 yuan became the initial means of production," Wang said during an interview to China Economic Net. The family later transformed its traditional yogurt-making skills into a commercial business serving markets across China.

Today, Lan Gege combines traditional dairy-making techniques with modern production. The company says its products undergo 98 quality checks, while its automated production workshop integrates milk purification, pasteurization, fermentation, filling and packaging.

Wang said the experience is relevant to Pakistan because the country has a large livestock base but considerable room to increase value addition through modern dairy processing, breeding, animal nutrition, cold-chain systems and branding.

"China-Pakistan cooperation in dairy can move from traditional livestock development toward modern breeding, processing and value-added products," said Prof. Dr. Audil Rashid of the University of Gujrat. He noted that a Chinese project involving buffalo embryo development could significantly improve buffalo breeds and milk yields in both Pakistan and China.

He also said that in 2026, Pakistan finalized a Material Transfer Agreement with China's Royal Group for the export of high-value buffalo genetic material, including embryos, semen and sexed semen. A specialized facility has been established in Pakistan for the collection, processing and export of the genetic material to China. Rashid said the initiative could create a new high-value export avenue for the livestock sector.

"The opportunity, therefore, extends beyond exporting milk. China and Pakistan could deepen cooperation across the dairy value chain, from animal genetics, breeding and feed to processing technology, quality control, cold chains, packaging, branding and access to international markets," Rashid said.

Rashid said Lan Gege's journey from three cows to a nationwide business illustrates how a small livestock-based enterprise can evolve when traditional knowledge is combined with technology, specialization and investment. For Pakistan, he said, the broader lesson is that the country's substantial livestock resources could generate greater economic value when farmers and businesses are connected to modern processing, research and markets.