Hof ten Steenborre

'Hof ten Steenborre': the name of this farm refers to the water source nearby. It is a mixed farm, a combination of arable farming and livestock farming. The new barn (built in 2010) houses dairy and beef cattle.

A modern dairy farm
The farm has 50 to 55 red-spotted Holstein dairy cows. The cows can move freely in the barn, which is why they speak of an 'open stable'. The stable is divided into several rooms. (see diagram) The cows receive daily roughage (corn, grass, pulp) at the feed fence (no. 5) and concentrates via a computer-controlled feed distributor (no. 3). With a transmitter around the cow's neck or leg, a computer keeps track of how much concentrate each animal should receive. Concentrates are a protein-rich food (cereals, waste of soy or rapeseed) supplemented with fats, vitamins and minerals. To rest, each cow has a cubicle. (No. 1) As soon as the weather permits, the cows graze during the day on the pastures in the vicinity of the farm (see page 16).
The cows are milked twice a day. This is done in the milk house (no. 11). The central computer keeps track of the milk production and quality of each cow. A good dairy cow can give more than 40 liters of milk per day. The cow gives milk only after giving birth to a calf. Milk production lasts about 10 months. This is followed by a rest period of 2 months, during which the cow calves again, after which milk production begins again.
The manure from the cows comes through grids (no. 16) in the basement. Under the barn there is a large storage capacity for rainwater. This water is used as drinking water for the cattle and for cleaning the stables. On this farm, half of the barn is equipped with straw boxes for beef cattle.

Nature and biodiversity on the farm
Several pairs of barn swallows nest in the pigsty every year. This bird builds its nest against beams in stables and barns. Every year the same litter is used. The swallow is an excellent insect pollinator. To feed the young, one pair catches about 6000 insects every day.
In order to better integrate the company buildings into the environment, the new barn was built in smaller parts and a lot of wood was used. In the future, the owner will carry out a planting with local species.

Departement Omgeving