“Our goal: healthy and happy cows”
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Photo: Jelle Oosterveld (left) en Antoon Smits (right)
From a traditionally tie-stall barn to a spacious modern dairy farm. The dairy farm of the Smits and Theeuwes family in Ukraine has made a major transformation over the years. Two new free stall barns are completed and the existing barn has been renovated to give the cows more comfort. Both in the new and existing barn, the cows can enjoy the comfort of the Friesian Island cow mattress and Wisconsin stall divider.
The Dutch Antoon Smits and Myke van der Avoird settled in 2008 in the Ukrainian village of Haivoron, 80 kilometers south of the capital Kiev. Antoon, son of a pig farmer, decided to leave The Netherlands after his studies. “I wanted to run my own business and there were opportunities in Ukraine,” he explains his choice for this country. Together with his companion Victor Theeuwes, he bought a former state dairy farm with 3,500 hectares and 350 cows. The company has since grown and modernized considerably.
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From 7 liters to 33 liters per cow per day
Antoon explains: “When we took over the existing farm in 2008, all cows were still tied up in the tie stall barn. Production averaged 7 liters per cow per day," Smits looks back on the initial period. Now, years later, the company looks completely different and they have 1350 cows and 1400 young stock. The cows are milked three times a day in a 24x2 milking parlor. "We have now increased from 7 kg to 33 kg of milk per cow per day," says Smits. “Our goal is to grow to 2000 cows with a production of 40 liters per cow per day”, he sets as a realistic goal for the coming years.
Work in progress
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“We make sure our cows are comfortable”
The first new-build free stall barn for 400 cows was completed three years ago and the second free stall barn of 36x180 meters is also already in use. Cow comfort is of paramount importance to the farmer and this is also the main focus on the farm. “We mainly focus on healthy cows. Cows that feel good usually have few problems”, says Smits and adds: “In addition, a cow produces when she is lying down, so you want her to be comfortable.”
A few years ago Antoon first became acquainted with Cowhouse during the Eurotier fair in Hanover, Germany. “The Cowhouse idea really appealed to us,” the farmer says. “They use the naturel environment of cows as a template to make structural improvements to their living and working environment. You want to give the cow enough space and restrict her as little as possible so that they can show their natural behavior. That is why we have opted for comfortable mattresses and cubicles in which she has enough freedom to move freely.” In the newest barn, the cows can enjoy the Friesian Island cow mattress and the 'Comfort Zone' Wisconsin cubicles. In addition, Au-2-Matic cow brushes have been installed. “With the Wisconsin cubicle, the cow has plenty of space and there aren’t any obstacles,” says the farmer. In addition to the new barn, the existing barn is also equipped with Friesian Island cow mattresses and Au-2-Matic cow brushes. “Here the cows were lying on concrete with straw. In order to offer the right comfort here too, we decided to renovate the barn and equipped with new mattresses, cow brushes and side wall ventilation," the entrepreneur says.
Rubber is not suitable for cows
The choice for the Friesian Island cow mattress was quickly decided. “Of all the mattresses I've seen, I liked the Friesian Island the best. Besides the Dutch Mountain, this is the most comfortable mattress available at the moment,” says Smits. “There are many rubber variants on the market, but this is not suitable for a cow. Rubber and skin don't mix," says Smits. “That leads to chafing marks and thick hocks. A cow moves all the time and that starts chafing. In addition, rubber condenses a lot and does not provide any grip.”
Friesian Island cowmattresses
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“Our cows like to lie down”
“The cows have a good grip on the Friesian Island mattress, which means they get up better and more easily. We can also keep the boxes clean more easily,” Antoon says. “There is peace and quiet in the barn and we see that the cows like to lie down. We notice this and we often hear this from people who come into the barn. Despite the fact that a lot happens on the site during construction, the cows are calm”, the entrepreneur indicates with satisfaction.
The new barn and comfortable barn equipment have a positive effect on the health of the cows. “They show the heat well. In addition, we have few problems with the claws and the hocks. This is noticeable," says Smits. The new free stall barn and the renovation of the existing part is clearly paying off. “We have less overcrowding and the cows enjoy more space, fresh air and comfort. All these elements have ensured that we have increased in the number of liters.”
Renovation existing free stall barn
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Positive towards the future
The realization of the rest of the new-build project is progressing steadily. The trusses for doubling the free stall barn are already in place and the new housing for the dry cows and the calving sheds is almost ready. Smits is positive about the future of the Ukrainian dairy farm. “We are satisfied with the new barns and we hope to grow further to 2000 cows at this location in the coming years.”
Dairy farm 'AF Rozvolozhzhya'
Dairy farm 'AF Rozvolozhzhya' from Ukraine are owned by Antoon Smits and Myke van der Avoird from The Netherlands. Here they milk 1350 cows with 1400 young stock on 5000 hectares. The average milk production is around 33 liters per cow per day with 3.85% fat and 3.30% protein. The milk is delivered to the dairy factory Danone. The milk is used for baby food, so strict quality requirements are set. That is why extra attention is paid on the farm to cow health.