Summary

Slovakian dairy cooperative Paňovce  wanted to upgrade its cow shed, which was in a very poor condition without adequate ventilation or insulation. Other facilities such as electrical and feeding equipment were also substandard. The poor conditions led to low animal welfare and an unsatisfactory work environment.

The Slovakian agricultural cooperative  Paňovce used EAFRD support to rebuild its cow shed with modern technologies, more space for the dairy cows and better living conditions.  An environmentally-friendly manure processor was also constructed.

Results

The farm reduced its costs while raising the quality of its production.

Animal welfare and hygiene standards were improved including more space for the cattle, greater comfort during feeding and proper access to water.

Better ventilation has made the climate in the cow shed more comfortable in summer, ensuring higher milk yields.

The creation of a safe storage and processing space for manure limits harmful impacts on the environment.

As the project was very succesful, the owners decided to make a short movie about its realization – on their own cost. The film participated at the international film festival Agrofilm 2016 in October 2016 among 114 movies from 26 countries.