A dairy farm in Minas Gerais began to practice the welfare of cows and heifers and has managed to improve its production results.
The property, located in the Serra do Papagao State Park, belongs to the Zuniga family and houses over 210 Dutch animals.
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a The idea came about when breeders realized that the herd was producing less than expected. The change began with the installation of the Compost Barn System, which was developed in the United States in the 1980s and has been in place in Brazil for 10 years.
For example, one of its benefits is that during the lactating period, the animal is more comfortable despite being in an enclosed space.
Changes were also made to the herd’s adequate diet and genetic improvement, allowing the inclusion of a third of the milk at night. Increase in quantity of milk obtained by 20 to 30 liters.
According to breeders, in addition to increased production, the animals also suffer fewer diseases, such as ticks.
The special treatment of cow and heifer starts from birth itself. Everyone is given a name, Which is equivalent to a municipality in Minas Gerais, a tribute to the state.
Evelyn Zuniga, a veterinarian and one of the owners of the farm, says, “Although it is believed that, being a large animal, the cow does not require special care, in reality, these things matter a lot. Is”.
It is she who enforces pampering with animals. are an example of Pilates BallsUsed as toys by cows.
Other facilities are important to the animal’s own health. Same is the case with bed. The space is made of manure, urine and wood sawdust. Ideally, it should always be dry and well ventilated. For this, fans have been installed in the area, which are on for 10 hours a day.
In addition, since the shed was built, it has undergone adaptations to improve ventilation. For example, the wall has been torn down and the roof expanded so that it does not rain.
Veterinarian Evelyn also applied the udder supporter, which acts in practice as a bra for the cows. hey The purpose of the device is to throw the weight of the udder (ie the nipple) onto the animal’s back to generate greater comfort..
The idea worked and today, Evelyn makes bras for other breeders. But it was not always so. She says that, at first everyone laughed and said that she was spending money on a “fool”.
She says that even though some people think all this care is an exaggeration, it is worth investing in animal welfare, because the greater the welfare, the more the animal will produce.
Learn more in the full report in the video above.
