Brought to you by BERG
The right lime made the difference at Jantinus Oost
At Dairy Farm Oost in Stieltjeskanaal (Drenthe), 160 cows are milked. Jantinus Oost is now spreading a custom-made Ground straw-lime mixture consisting of, among other things, finely ground straw and high-quality, natural calcium carbonate Box-Kalk Premium.
To arrive at the current, optimal (custom-made) bedding material To achieve this, Jantinus Oost has tested various types of stable bedding and mixing ratios together with Berg over the past period. A few years ago, he still manually spread various types of lime in combination with chopped straw. These were, for example, loose big bags of slaked lime with a pH of 12 (calcium hydroxide). "We bought the big bags of slaked lime from regular, local traders and then spread them manually. That lasted us a few months."
The lime hardened in the stalls and settled in the manure.
In some periods, Jantinus also mixed chopped straw with cheaper lime varieties such as industrial residues (calcium sulfite/gypsum). In the past, therefore, he often ordered the products separately and mixed them himself. "In all cases, the resulting bedding was unsatisfactory. It started to stick, was not uniform, and the cows had difficulty getting on their feet. Additionally, the bedding became hard in the stalls and settled in the manure," Jantinus explains.
Mixing it myself was not the solution
After Jantinus came into contact with stable management advisor Henry Westerink (Berg), he decided to use Box-Kalk Premium. This natural lime is a rock flour based on calcium carbonate. He then mixed this himself with chopped strawHowever, over time it became apparent that mixing Box-Kalk Premium himself did not yet yield the desired result. Although the quality of the lime is better, he did not achieve homogeneous bedding with his own feed mixer, and the double storage of both straw and Box-Kalk Premium proved to be anything but practical.
Henry went looking for a together with Jantinus custom solution for use in the stalls. The correct ratio now consists of, among other things, finely ground straw and Box-Kalk Premium. "I have virtually the same costs for this mixture, because I also use less. Moreover, the cows now stand up better and stay cleaner!" Other reasons for Jantinus to opt for a custom-made stable bedding from BERG to use:
- No double storage
- Less extra work
- Greater ease of work
- No wear on the feed mixer wagon
The bedding with Box-kalk Premium is now consistent, has optimal moisture absorption, and remains nice and loose. In addition, Jantinus notes: "The Berg bedding doesn't ferment, so now I can easily cover it. That way, the stuff stays dry."
Box-kalk Premium improves animal health and cow comfort
Box-kalk Premium is a high-quality bedding material formulated based on (pure) calcium carbonate and serves as a good supplement to single straw, flax, and sawdust bedding. Additionally, just like with Jantinus, it is often a very important component in custom-made stable bedding. As a bedding supplement, Box-kalk Premium has a pH value of 9 and inhibits bacterial growth in the cubicles. Besides reduced bacterial pressure, the adhesive effect of Box-kalk Premium ensures a firmer bedding without becoming hard.
The benefits of Box-kalk Premium at a glance:
- Dry, comfortable, and a permanently soft sunbed
- Does not settle in the manure pit and preserves the structure and pH of the manure
- Inhibits bacterial growth
- Improves hoof and udder health
Consultancy
Cheap barn bedding seems attractive, but the type of lime used determines whether you ultimately add value or compromise on cow comfort and barn hygiene. Cheap lime that hardens in the stalls or chafes the teat skin comes at the expense of animal health. That is why we always recommend taking a critical look at what is in the barn or stall. What is the composition of your bedding, and what are the needs in the barn?
Our advisors are happy to discuss your needs and work together to find the optimal stable bedding with the right proportions and additives. Contact us at verkoop@bergagri.com or call 0341 76 82 22. We look forward to helping you!
