EuroDairy shows new solutions to bedded pack and compost barns (Lille)

During the RMT congress ‘Livestock buildings- let’s build the future’ in Lille (France) EuroDairy organized a workshop ‘Bedded pack and compost barns for dairy cattle’ at February 23rd 2017. More than 50 advisors, researchers, education and farmers from different countries (mainly France) attended the workshop and discussed the possibilities of alternative housings, one of the subthemes within EuroDairy.

A housing system for lactating cows with a large open resting area with no cubicles and no concrete floors could improve animal health and welfare as an alternative for the current more and more dominant loose housing systems. Different materials of beddings, composting or no composting, management of the bedding, costs, strength and weaknesses were discussed in details.  At this web page you can find the presentations of the workshop.

All information is combined in one ease information package: Report Workshop ED Lille 23-2-17

1. Introduction (see presentation in PDF) by Willem Koops, ZuivelNL (consortium member EuroDairy)
2. Development and sustainability of free walk housing in the Netherlands by Paul Galama, download presentation
3. Composted bedding for dairy cows: 1st experiences in France and proposed recommendations, see PDF-file. Litières compostées pour vaches laitières : 1ères  expériences en France et propositions de recommandations by Jean-Luc Menard, see PDF-file in French
4. Farmer’s experience (movie of the (building of the) farm and presentation and) by Marc Havermans, see this video online
5. Compost barns for dairy cows: Austrian case studies and research by Joop Lensink, see PDF-presentation
6. An article published in the French agricultural journal ‘Réussir Lait’ (Revue Réussir lait litières malaxées Eurodairy avril 2017)
7. An article of Jean-Luc Menard of the Institut de l’Élevage (Article Idele Jean-luc Menard 8 juin 2017 pdf)

Presenters’ biographies:

• Paul Galama Researcher sustainable dairy farm systems at Wageningen University & Research Netherlands
• Jean-Luc Menard Researcher at Institut de l’Elevage France
• Marc Havermans, VOF De Klaverhof / IDV Stal, Dairy farmer Netherlands
• Joop Lensink Dean of Education ISA (School of Agriculture and Bio-engineering)  Lille

For more information contact Willem Koops ([email protected]), work package leader Animal Care within EuroDairy.