TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Qingjing Farm on Wednesday (April 26) sold its 22 Angus cattle and announced the end of its cattle farming business after over 60 years of operation.

Liberty Times reported that back in the 1960s, Qingjing Farm was built as a new home for over 200 veterans as well as Yunnanese and Burmese immigrants that had moved to Taiwan along with the Kuomintang government. Now, the farm has become a popular tourist attraction and sheep have replaced cattle as the focus of its farming business.

As the world, including Taiwan, began putting increasing importance on net zero emission issues, the farm decided to sell its cattle to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Lin Chung-hsing (林中行), director of the farm, was cited as saying cattle farming is a high emission business, as every kilogram of beef produced emits around 60 kilograms of carbon dioxide, which is 2.5 times that of sheep farming.

According to Lin, by ending its cattle farming business, Qingjing Farm decreases its carbon dioxide emissions by nearly 30.6%.

The 22 cattle will be shipped to a professional farm in Pingtung. The pasture previously used by them will be given to sheep so as to cut the amount of imported feed used, further reducing the farm’s carbon footprint.