In the wake of the novel coronavirus outbreak, China dairy giant Yili Industrial Group has opened 24-hour online services -- to help its pasture cooperatives to surmount technical barriers and conduct remote technology diagnostics during the epidemic period, the company said.

The project is being supported by Yili’s 21 remote technology service teams, comprised of experts from the group’s dairy science research institute.

Over a one-month period, the project has served more than 200 pastures nationwide, Yili said.

In addition to emergency technical support, Yili is also providing two to three online lectures given by the experts every day to help the cooperatives improve their management and technical capacities.

Yili said a total of 28 courses are available for co-op technical workers and managers.

To solve the time conflict between the online teaching courses and the participating workers, Yili is also providing more than 90 offline electronic courses and has distributed around 1,000 copies of a booklet called "Farm Pasture Practical Guides" compiled by Yili’s technical experts.

It makes it possible for the workers willing to improve their skills by self-study at any time.

Li Baojun, owner boss of the Xingmu pasture in Tangshan city in North China’s Hebei province, is one of the pasture owners benefiting from Yili’s online technical services.

Li’s pasture has been suffering from the shortage of technical workers due to the virus outbreak. While, at the time, milk production from dairy cows has suddenly fell by nearly 1 metric ton, resulting in a significant decline in the milk supply.

“Thanks to the online technical guidance from Yili, my pasture has gradually restored its daily operation,” Li said.

For now, Li is sticking to Yili’s online and offline courses every day, after his work and patrols.

Experts from Yili’s dairy science research institute provide online technical services and remote technology diagnostics for its cooperatives during the epidemic period. [Photo/farmer.com.cn]

Doctor Li Junliang from Yili’s dairy science research institute gives an online course on milk acidity and alcohol-positive milk prevention and control measures. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]