Revolution on the farm: cows and calves in new light!

Revolution on the farm: cows and calves in new light!

in Ilsfeld, in the idyllic Baden-Württemberg, Tobias Geiger's farm ensures a breath of fresh air in agriculture. Here, where tradition and innovation go hand in hand, not only high -quality meat is generated, but also special attention is paid to the calf breeding. Tobias, whose grandfather put the first stone for the company in 1965, has now taken over the management and integrated numerous most modern equipment elements.

The courtyard extends over 25 hectares of permanent grassland and 80 hectares of agriculture. Sustainability is increasingly being used here, whereby the lowest possible use of spraying agents and the use of AI-controlled chopping machines have become normal. "We produce our food ourselves," says Tobias proudly and refers to the three driving silos that are filled with valuable silage in order to be able to make good care even in winter.

calf breeding and their challenges

A central topic in the company is calf breeding. After birth, the calves are usually separated from the mother for a few hours and first receive beast milk, followed by whole milk or a milk exchanger. The male calves are often sold to a special fattening company in Oberriexingen after four weeks. The caliber survival rate after birth is 98 percent, which speaks for careful care in the farm, as the Bietigheimer Zeitung reports. But the reality is complex: male calves are difficult to fatten because they set little meat and there is an oversupply. As a result, some calves later transport over long distances, sometimes even to the Netherlands.

More and more farmers are interested in innovative rearing methods that make the birth and rearing of calves more natural. Concepts such as the mother and ammated calf breeding are becoming increasingly important. This practice could offer the cows and calves a more intensive relationship and at the same time improve health care. This is also supported by the updated leaflet of the research institute for biological farming, which shows new approaches to calf breeding.

the most modern technologies for more efficiency

Tobias' innovation spirit is also evident in the dairy farming: by using a new stable and milk robots, milk production per cow increased from 5,000 liters to an impressive 9,600 liters per year. The MilcherzerkeGerGeinschaft Südwest rewardes this performance with a price of 53 cents per liter. In this conventional practice, an environmentally friendly and sustainable cultivation is also used. By selling brewing barley, wheat and spelled, not only a wide range of products is covered, but also promoted risk scoring in the company.

This is how Tobias Geiger's farm remains not only a place of tradition, but also an example of future -oriented agriculture in the region. With a good knack for innovations and deep respect for the animal world, it is a shining example of how agriculture can also be sustainable in 2025.