Agroecology

 

Mykhailyky village, Shishatsky district, Poltava region

The farm specializes in organic crop and livestock production.

Total herd is about 6.2 thousand heads, 1880 are dairy cows.

The structure of the farm consists of 5 subdivisions: 4 dairy farms and a completion of growing.

Cows are milked in milking parlours. On average, last year they milked 8 thousand kg of milk per cow.

Every day in «Agroecology» they produce about 40 tons of Extra Grade milk, which is supplied to the plants of Sandora Ltd. for the production of dairy products for children of early age.

The total herd in the unit located in Pokrovske is 815 heads of Ukrainian red-and-white breed (460 dairy cows) and 500 aberdeen-angus.

Animals are grouped not only according to the period of lactation, but also in terms of productivity. There are groups of three-, two- and one-time milking. Cow are milked in «herringbone» parlour 2×10 (DeLaval). The average daily yield in the department in Pokrovske village is 22 kg, in other it reaches 25 kg. Bacterial contamination of milk does not exceed 10,2 thousand/cm3, and in some departments — 7 and 9 thousand/cm3.

Cows are kept loose in spacious barns on straw bedding. A significant part of the territory of dairy farms «Agroecology» are open pens.

In Agroecology, cows live on average 6.8 lactations, but there are those which live 11 lactations.

The production of organic milk begins with birth of calf. Milk replacer is not used in Agroecology. Immediately after birth calves are given from 2 to 4 liters of colostrum. Then calves are placed in boxes for drying under the infrared lamp, and then transferred to individual houses. Here they are fed with whole milk. During suckling period, calves drink an average of 485 liters of milk.
Calves are born on average with a weight of 35−37 kg. Water is given to them from the first day 40 minutes after drinking milk, and there is always a feed with whole grain in free access. The average daily gain of calves reaches 700−800 g.

Heifers are inseminated at the age of 16 months, when they achieve good physiological development. The fertility rate in the household is 85%.

Soybean meal is not used at all for cows. They add only a small amount of sunflower meal. The ratio of forages and concentrates is 65:35, sometimes 70:30.

In summer, in a mixed feed grass from the field is added — rye, esparset, alfalfa, roasted oatmeal mixture, oil radish. Cows consumes no more than 9 kg of feed mix per head per day. The feed is distributed twice a day: 60% in the morning and 40% in the evening. Evening portion is regulated depending on consumption. In general, cows are given 41 kg of feed per day.

In the milk complex in Pokrovske village, an automated feeding system for cows (ProFeed) was installed.