Dutch

land or indeed on an animal health plan.”

The first free-stall barn on the farm was built in 1979 and they expanded in 1988 and again in 2005 to 135 cubicles. Two years ago a brand new free-stall barn with another 125 cubicles was added.

Two Lely robotic milking systems have been in the first barn since 2005 and another two secondhand robots were added to the new barn in 2016.

Animal health

Ivo adds: “Animal health is very important to us and we see continued use of antibiotics as unviable. On this farm we operate a strict animal health and treatment plan.

“Each time a cow has a problem she is assessed and we closely follow the regulations on how to treat her and with which specific medication.

“We focus more on prevention rather than treatments to improve animal health and vaccinate for IBR, BVD, Lepto and Salmonella. Hygiene and cleanliness are also very important factors in our efforts to maintain a healthy herd.”

Since 2010 the Hermanussensen family have reduced their bills for antibiotics down by 25 per cent thanks to their animal health programme. Plus, the farm now spends around 30 per cent of its health plan budget on prevention rather than treatments.

“Following our strict health plan has made us realise that the use of antibiotics on every animal is not necessary. At the moment we are down to using antibiotics on only half the herd which on average means we have reduced antibiotic use by two animal doses per day,” he says.