Kälber posture in the USA: A look behind the scenes of innovation!

Kälber posture in the USA: A look behind the scenes of innovation!

Germantown, Wisconsin, USA - The keeping of calves in the USA is the focus of interest, especially with regard to the innovative keeping systems offered by companies such as Hampel’s Calf-Tel. Since 1981 in Germantown, Wisconsin, the company has been producing a wide range of calricipation systems, including Iglus and modular boxes. These products made of extruded polyethylene are characterized by their robustness and the fact that they are hardly deformable. Impressive 432 calf huts are produced every day, which corresponds to a production of 18 huts per hour. A UV-blocking pigment also protects the boxes from porosity and makes them impermeable and pore-free. The production takes place by heating a 35 kg plastic plate to 165 ° C, followed by thermal forms using a metal body that brings the material into the desired shapetop agricultural.

In addition to these posture innovations, there are efforts in Germany to modernize training in animal husbandry. The apprenticeships beef in the VBZL Haus Dusses are characterized by sustainable and timely milk production. Here, the focus is on the integration of both classic and innovative posture and feeding systems. The aim is to sensitize the trainees for social issues in terms of sustainability, resource conservation, digitization and automation, such as theChamber of Agriculturereported.

Modern stable concepts for the future

As part of a comprehensive construction project, the training workshops are modernized in two sections. The first section includes the construction of a multi -zone stable that is geared towards animal welfare and sustainability. These include a feed center with vertical feed bearings and automated ruminant feeding as well as the integration of running stations and open spaces. In the second section, a robot stable is being built, which promotes the use of digitization and automation in calves. Around 80 dairy cows are to be supplied by modern automatic milking and feeding systems.

An important topic within this discussion are the appreciation of male calves and the comparison with classic stable systems that are increasingly questioned. The project is also funded by the Federal Institute for Vocational Training, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research as well as the state of North Rhine-Westphalia and includes several partners, including the North Rhine-Westphalia Chamber of Agriculture and the Lower Saxony Landgesellschaft mbH.