P 12 We cannot make cheese without our animals. To guarantee the premium quality cheese that Henri Willig makes, taking care of healthy animals in the best possible way is our highest priority. All our efforts and investments are therefore aimed at offering optimal welfare to the animals that provide us with their delicious milk. 100% outdoor grazing All our dairy cow farms practice outdoor grazing. That’s what makes us unique, no other dairy company affiliated with the Dutch Dairy Association (NZO) can make that claim. We pay a fair price to our cow farmers, well above the standard, which enables them to farm in a sustainable way and provide maximum outdoor grazing opportunities to their cows. Benefits of outdoor grazing: • It’s good for the cow’s general well-being, because the meadow is the most natural habitat for a cow. • It results in lower ammonia emissions due to the fact that manure and urine do not mix together, contrary to what happens in a stable. • It also results in a positive effect on biodiversity, because the feces that cows leave behind attract various insects to the meadow, which subsequently attract a variety of birds. The share of all dairy farms in the Netherlands that achieved full outdoor grazing in 2022 was 73.6% (source: Sustainable Dairy Chain sector report). On the other hand Henri Willig and his cow farm partners all achieved outdoor grazing: 100%! The national standard for outdoor grazing in regular dairy farms is at least 120 days per year and a minimum of 6 hours a day. The national standard for organic outdoor grazing is at least 180 days a year and at least 8 hours per day. As can be seen in the graph below, our farmers are well above the minimum standard. Animal-friendly stable In meadows, the natural habitat of cows, they choose their own place to lie down. In our new stable in Katwoude we have mirrored this optimal environment for the animals. They can walk in and out themselves. It is an open space with natural daylight and a soft surface where the cows can stretch out, close to a buddy or in a separate place, whatever they prefer. We notice that the cows move more freely, are less stiff and that a natural hierarchy arises among the animals, resulting in healthy and happy cows. Every day the stable is cleaned and provided with a fresh layer of straw. The solid manure from the stable is less acidic and more organic, which is better for the soil. Part of our manure goes to an arable farmer, who uses it to grow his biological dynamic crops. We in turn take his organic crops to feed our cows. 100 - 150 - 200 - 250 - 0 2021 2022 2023 NATIONAL STANDARD OUTDOOR GRAZING HENRI WILLIG MILK & MORE NORM FOR ORGANIC COW MILK 500 - 1000 - 1500 - 2000 - 0 2021 2022 2023 NATIONAL STANDARD OUTDOOR GRAZING HENRI WILLIG MILK & MORE NORM FOR ORGANIC COW MILK 2500 - 3000 - 3500 - Outdoor grazing in average hours Outdoor grazing in average days ANIMALS
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