Biodiversity & Environment
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Maintaining biodiversity is an important part of sustainable dairy farming. This includes managing verges and ditch banks, protecting meadow birds or constructing hedgerows and flower strips.
Member dairy farmers Henk and Linda van Dijk from Drogeham
‘In harmony with the environment’
The Van Dijk family pastures in Drogeham in Friesland cover some 50 hectares and are divided over 23 plots. Each plot is protected by wooded banks and rows of trees, and there are ponds or ditches here and there. ‘According to many colleague livestock farmers it’s really inefficient and requires far too much maintenance, but we think it’s beautiful and important. This vegetation is full of life. So many different bird species have returned to the landscape after years of absence and there are moths here again too. The bushes, old stumps and ponds are full of insects.’
Clover and buttercups
Some plots have been sown with a herb-rich grass mixture such as clover, buttercups and other herbs. ‘These contain many different kinds of minerals and other substances that are healthy for the cows and attract insects and birds. Herb-rich grass also roots deeper, providing better CO2 absorption. And they look simply stunning when they’re in flower!’
‘We create a balance between our dairy farm and retaining and preserving nature and the landscape and do this from the conviction that this management method will result in healthy cows and a healthy farm. And at the same time being at one with the environment and accepted by society.’
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