Synergy between animal welfare, environment and economy
Animal welfare, animal health, the environment and economics in dairy husbandry are much more compatible than we often assume. That is the conclusion of the Cow Power (Kracht van Koeien) project. The design concepts De Meent, De Meent XL, De Bronck and Amstelmelk show how this could be realised. They are stepping stones towards sustainable dairy husbandry.
De Meent: Year-round space
De Meent XL: If you want more
De Bronck: Movement in the landscape
Amstelmelk: Cow power near the city
Turnaround of four aspects
The design concepts are based on four radical turnarounds in thinking and acting:
- Satisfy all the demands of the cows instead of giving them what happens to be left over
- Consider minerals to be valuable resources instead of waste
- Share capital and labour with others instead of dividing them over more cows
- See the soil as a productive ecosystem instead of as a dead substrate
The promise
These turnarounds are applied coherently in the four design concepts. These concepts demonstrate that substantial improvements are possible for the animal, the environment, the farmer and society as a whole. Such improvements include a much better animal welfare, a considerable reduction in ammonia emission, a significant decrease in greenhouse gas emissions, equal production costs, animal husbandry that corresponds to societal ideal images and is applicable near nature reserves or cities.
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