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Cono wants to better combine robotic milking and pasture grazing
Cono Kaasmakers wants to investigate, via a pilot and ultimately an adjustment of the assessment system, how grazing can be better combined with automatic milking. This requires a new method of assurance, which records the number of grazing hours per cow and does not discourage farmers because the current system no longer sufficiently matches the changing practice.
The standard for pasture milk and the Eco-activity 'pasture' now stipulate that dairy farmers with an automatic milking system must have at least 75% of their lactating cows in the pasture during pasture hours. In addition, all cows must have free access to the pasture during these hours. This is assessed with unannounced inspections, and the latter is sometimes a problem.
Farms with an automatic milking system, which graze many hours a day, allow their cows to walk in and out freely, which means that not 75% of the cows are always outside, while cows taken as a whole and individually are easily outside 75% of the time. Sometimes, however, some of the cows are present in the barn for milking.
Freedom of cow and the control system
The freedom for cows can contribute to animal welfare. In the event of checks at those times when a large proportion of the animals are in the barn, the standard might not be met (and farmers could be cut on their grazing allowance), while the cows do spend enough hours in the pasture. This has long raised the question of an adjusted standard that is more in line with current practice. A solution could lie in improved electronic registration per cow of the number of grazing hours.
Value of grazing
For dairy farming, maintaining grazing is important, says Cono. The cow characterizes the Dutch landscape and citizens attach great value to cows in the meadow. Grazing also contributes to the natural behavior of cows, which positively contributes to animal welfare and the taste of dairy products. To promote grazing, dairy farmers receive a premium for letting their cows graze. As a small cooperative, Cono Kaasmakers has always been a pioneer when it comes to grazing. 97% of its member farmers practice full grazing and are well above the average of the national grazing standard and the cooperative is proud of that.
With the help of a pilot, Cono now wants to show that with a different way of assessing, dairy farmers with an automatic milking system can also be rewarded fairly. And that they give their cows the freedom to choose when they go in or out. This encourages all companies to continue grazing.
Grazing Foundation
The results of the pilot are expected later this year. The aim is to align the assessment of grazing with daily practice and to put a revision of the standards on the agenda of the Weidegang Foundation. If the assessment is positive, the entire dairy sector can benefit.
Klaas van der Horst
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