Key Figures from the Dutch monitor farms (2013)
In the Netherlands there are 4 monitor farms participating in Autograssmilk.
| ID | NL03 | NL06 | NL07 | NL08 |
| Region | South East | South West | Mid | North |
| Farm description | Conventional | Innovative | Conventional | Bio-Dynamic |
| Number of cows | 97 | 135 | 118 | 69 |
| Number of young stock | 79 | 86 | 88 | |
| Gras area (clover included) | 33 | 30 | 34,1 | 59 |
| Maïs area | 6,4 | 5,0 | 13,3 | – |
| Grazing area | 28,5 | 15,5 | 6,0 | 43 |
| Grazing days (daytime) | 253 | 134 | 123 | 240 |
| Grazing days (day and night) | 0 | 134 | 0 | 120 |
| Milk production | ||||
| Total milk produced | 795.306 | 1.282.500 | 1.154.085 | 378.046 |
| Standard milk produced per cow (kg/year) | 8.665 | 9.500 | 9.780 | 5.479 |
| Milking system | ||||
| Number of units | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Brand and type | Lely A3 Next | Fullwood | Lely A4 | Lely A2 |
| Year installed | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2006 |
Farm discription
Farm NL03 – 95 milking cowx on 39,4 ha
Farm goal: Getting a decent farm income with good working conditions
How’s grazing managed: Strip grazing
Main challenge: Maximum grass intake by grazing (minimum 50 percent of total ration) with optimum robot visits (on average minimum 2,5 times a day)
Farm NL06 – Dairy farm
Farm goal: Producing milk
How’s grazing managed: 24 hours a day
Main challenge: Cows determine their own rhytme
Farm NL07 – 120 cows kept to produce milk
Farm goal: Getting a decent farm income by taking into account future developments en societal demands
How’s grazing managed: Getting a decent farm income by taking into account future developments en societal demands
Main challenge: Combining a high milk yield per robot (650.000 kg milk per unit) with some form of grazing
Farm NL08 – Bio dynamic with optimal cow conditions and getting a decent farm income
Farm goal: Creating conditions close to nature to get an optimal environment for the cows. A natural environment improves animal welfare and health, so antibiotics are not needed
How’s grazing managed: Creating conditions close to nature to get an optimal environment for the cows. A natural environment improves animal welfare and health, so antibiotics are not needed
Main challenge: Optimal grass usage by using the ABC-system