« We are very demanding about the bacteriological quality of our milk, explains Edouard Rémillet, one of the three partners of Gaec des Baraques in Genevrières (52). Of the 1.2 million liters produced by our cows, we transform 1 million into AOP Langres, a raw milk cheese. »
To ensure impeccable milk, the farmer focuses primarily on the hygiene of the animals' bedding and the quality of the feed. To preserve the feed during distribution, the trough must be clean. In this regard, concrete troughs on the ground with a damaged surface can become veritable breeding grounds for microbes.
« Our building is 10 years old. Over time, the acidity of the silage has eaten away at the concrete in the trough. Degraded, they have become impossible to clean properly », reports the farmer.
Once the decision has been made to renovate the troughs, the choice of system comes next. « It's not easy to renovate a trough in a building that is in operation, warns Edouard Rémillet. Concrete must dry for 3 weeks before use. Resins also need a long drying time. »
How could they continue to distribute feed in the meantime? In order to be able to feed their 120 cows again in hygienic conditions, the farmers opted for a Sani-feed mat. " It was while talking to the Bioret sales representative that we discovered this mat system that covers the trough. The 3.5 mm thick PVC product meets our sanitary requirements and installation constraints. "
Hygiene, practicality and resistance
At the end of March 2021, the Sani-feed mat was installed along the entire 72 meters of the trough. "The installers arrived at 8 a.m. By 2 p.m., the feeding robot was already able to enter the corridor to distribute the rations. The installation time was perfectly compatible with a building in operation ," notes the farmer.
The feeding system for the cows was another constraint to take into account when considering the renovation of the troughs for the cows at Gaec des Baraques. Here, a robot distributes and pushes the ration.
"He walks down the hallway about twenty times a day." So, the material needs to be strong enough and well anchored so that it doesn't get damaged or moved by all this coming and going. " That's the case. Nothing has moved," says Edouard Rémillet. "The Sani-feed mat Sani-feed pressed down onto the floor. There are no edges or uneven surfaces to interfere with distribution, nor is there any risk of food falling underneath." Stretched and secured by baseboards at each end, the mat extends up to the level of the headlock wall.
The PVC material preserves the palatability of the feed for the cows and facilitates the robot's regrowth work. It is smooth and easy to clean. Easy maintenance ensures that the Sani-feed mat remains clean at all times Sani-feed prevents the growth of microbial colonies, as can be the case in the crevices of degraded concrete."It's reassuring for the bacteriological quality of our milk,"says the farmer.