Sanders Breeder Aid Plan, first year, first achievements

What kind of farm do you run?
We have 110 dairy cows in protected designation of origin (PDO) Brie de Meaux, and 230 ha of farmland, including 100 ha of grass for grazing and 130 ha of corn, barley, wheat, and meslin. We are in the process of expanding the farm to accommodate 240 dairy cows in an ultra-modern building with an emphasis on animal welfare. There will be efficient insulation against high temperatures, water mattresses in each cubicle, brushes, massage pads, and more.

Why did you apply for the Sanders Livestock Farmer Aid Plan?
After the substantial investments planned for the expansion, we deferred some of them due to the need to control our budget. In particular, an automatic feeder to improve the quality and regularity of the calves’ meals, but also to make our daily life easier. We would also like to install an additional silo to increase our feed storage capacity and secure our supplies and orders. We also needed a secure space for restraining and weighing cows, in order to trim their hooves – a rather delicate operation!

How has the plan helped improve your farm and your lifestyle?
The support provided by Sanders enabled us to incur all these expenses simultaneously. We are truly appreciative of this willingness to support our efforts to do our job in the best way possible, with the well-being of our cows as a priority. This also includes all the means, material, and
processes helping us to do the work we love even better and more comfortably. We are caring for ourselves and our animals.