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'The grass changes every 3 to 4 years'
"We participated in the derogation until five years ago. But at a certain point we had too much grass and too little maize. Now we feed 50% grass and 50% maize in the ration and we see that the roughage and protein utilization has improved considerably. We get a higher yield from the land and have a healthier and higher milk production. Stopping the derogation has only brought us advantages, despite higher manure disposal costs."
Drought and grubs are a challenge on the dry sandy soil. "Another reason we are out of the derogation," says Bart. "Every three to four years the land is turned over. We often sow after beans or peas Havera 2 in, then there is quickly well-developed grass with high nutritional value." Until a few years ago, Bart and his parents also grew alfalfa. That worked out quite well, although it was not always easy for them. "It is a beautiful crop and we have achieved good yields. Only the weed pressure, which is very high in the spring and autumn." Nowadays, they no longer have to grow alfalfa for the CAP premium. With the peas and beans, they already meet the standards for nitrogen-fixing crops.
First cut of 3500 kilos of dry matter
How does Bart deal with fertilization, and the fact that less and less liquid manure is allowed to be spread? "We have our own manure separator. This allows us to use the manure as effectively as possible: the thin fraction goes on the grassland, the thick fraction on arable land. We also supplement it with artificial fertilizer." The first cut was fertilized with 30 cubic meters of thin fraction, supplemented with 200 kilos of KAS sulfur. Bart is satisfied with the yield so far. "We mowed a nice first cut of about 3500 kilos of dry matter at the end of April."
Purchase minimum amount of concentrates
In the future, Bart might want to go grazing, but with horticulture added, that is too labor-intensive. He also likes the fact that he can now feed so consistently. Good care of the grassland is important, the dairy farmer believes. "We want to milk as much as possible from roughage and buy as little concentrate as possible." Bart and his parents do everything themselves, from mowing to silage and fertilizing. "We have two silos of 50 meters for the first three cuts. That way we can feed the best grass all year round."
Taste important for high absorption
What is the best grass, according to Bart? "We go for a diverse, tasty grass silage with a bit of structure. With Havera 2 we have Italian and English mixed together. The largest part of our grassland consists of Havera 1 with red clover, for tasty grass with a lot of energy. We also have a part Havera 4, with timothy and a small proportion of reed canary grass in addition. We also sow red clover in new plots."
It remains difficult to keep the clovers in, the dairy farmer experiences, but so far it is going well. "The clover can sometimes dominate in the summer, that varies quite a bit. We try to mow at 7 centimeters, that often ensures quick regrowth and that keeps the clover alive." Ultimately, taste also plays a major role, Bart believes. "Taste is important for a high feed intake. And the more dry matter goes in, the easier it is to milk."
In business
- Dairy farmer Bart Naalden, Etten-Leur (North Brabant)
- 110 dairy cows and associated young cattle
- Horticultural branch (leek, beans and peas)
- 60 hectares, half of which is grassland
View all Havera grass mixtures >
