The dairy farm of Aleid Blitterswijk from Werkhoven in Utrecht has recently opened a modern hay barn that operates completely CO2 neutral. This way of storing and feeding roughage means that the cows and the milk are healthier. And it will remain that way, says Blitterswijk. Cheese is now being made from this new milk flow and the idea is to expand the product range.
From the outside you can't see that the Blitterswijk dairy farm has incorporated a new gadget that increases the sustainability of roughage production. His hay barn keeps the grass CO2-neutral. We will discuss this novelty in 5 questions and answers.
How did he come up with the idea?
The idea for the construction of this hay barn partly comes from Aleid Blitterswijk himself. He developed the shed together with a group of stakeholders and specialists. The dairy farmer mainly wants to work sustainably. The hay barn can be realized with the modern techniques that are offered today. The project group was inspired by the way of working that farmers used to have. At that time, feeding a lot of fresh grass and getting little grass from outside was very common on a land-based farm.
How does the principle work?
The hay barn allows the feeding of a lot of fresh grass of good quality. The hay maintains the quality of the fresh grass. The condition is that the grass must be well dried. The barn is CO2-neutral thanks to the sun that shines on the panels of the roof. In this way the air under the roof and in the walls of the shed is heated. This warm air is blown through the hay. Thanks to the CO2-neutral hay barn, the dairy farmer has succeeded in offering an optimal ration of grass from the meadow and hay that is as green as fresh grass in every season.
What are the investment costs?
According to Blitterswijk, the costs for the investments cannot be made clear. This is because every dairy farm is different and therefore costs can differ. The barn has yet to prove itself. The drying process works well, but exactly what the milk from the dried grass will yield is still unknown. That is in the hands of the consumer. The hay that is made on Blitterswijk's farm contains different fatty acids than grass silage. In this way he can produce the separate kind of milk. If other livestock farmers also want to do this, this can also be done without such a hay barn. For this reason too, no clear description of the investment can be given.
What does Blitterswijk do with the milk flow?
The milk that the cows produce from the dried hay has a different taste than milk from cows that are not fed in this way, according to the dairy farmer. The new type of cheese 'Uut Hooi' is now being produced from this new milk flow. The intention is to market this new type of cheese widely and possibly expand it with other dairy products such as ice cream, yogurt and butter. There is also a chance that the milk will end up on the shelf in a carton.
How do other dairy farmers get on with this concept?
Blitterswijk sees this new milk flow as a way to ensure that his extensive business is future-proof and profitable in the future. He is open to working with other dairy farmers to implement this concept with the project group on other farms as well.
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