« We are very demanding when it comes to the bacteriological quality of our milk," explains Edouard Rémillet, one of the three partners in the Gaec des Baraques in Genevrières (52). Of the 1.2 million liters produced by our cows, we process 1 million into AOP Langres, a raw-milk cheese. »
To ensure impeccable milk, the farmer pays particular attention to the hygiene of the animals' bedding and the quality of their feed. To preserve feed quality at feeding time, the feed trough must be clean. In this respect, concrete troughs with damaged floor surfaces 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 troughs. Damaged, they've become impossible to clean properly. »says the breeder.
Once the decision has been taken to renovate the feeders, the next step is to choose the system. « It's not easy to renovate a trough in a working building," warns Edouard Rémillet. Concrete needs to dry for 3 weeks before use. Resins also need a long drying time. »
How to continue feeding in the meantime? To be able to feed their 120 cows again in hygienic conditions, the breeders opted for a Sani-feed belt. « It was while talking to Bioret's sales representative that we discovered this matting system that covers the trough. The 3.5 mm thick PVC product meets our sanitary requirements and installation constraints. »
Hygiene, practicality and durability
At the end of March 2021, the Sani-feed carpet was installed on the 72-meter trough. « The fitters arrived at 8 am. By 2 p.m., the feeding robot could already enter the corridor to distribute the rations. Assembly time perfectly compatible with a building in operation »notes the breeder.
The system for distributing feed to the cows was another constraint to be taken into account when considering the renovation of the cow troughs at Gaec des Baraques. Here, a robot distributes and pushes the ration.
« He passes twenty times a day in the corridor. »So you need a material that's sufficiently strong and well anchored so as not to be damaged or displaced by these comings and goings. « That's the case. Nothing has moved," says Edouard Rémillet. The Sani-feed mat is flush with the floor. There are no edges or unevenness to interfere with distribution, nor any risk of food passing underneath. »Stretched and secured by skirting boards at each end, the carpet rises to the level of the feed fence.
The PVC material preserves the palatability of the ration for the cows and facilitates the robot's regrowth work. Smooth, it's also easy to clean. Easy maintenance guarantees constant cleanliness of the Sani-feed mat and prevents the appearance of microbial colonies, as can occur in the crevices of degraded concrete. « This is reassuring for the bacteriological quality of our milk. »appreciates the breeder.