Animal welfare for Genuine Meat

Animal welfare: the vision of Genuine Meat

Each species is unique and has different characteristics. Talking about animal welfare, in our Farmhouse, therefore means first of all talking about respect: here we take care of each creature in a different way, respecting their specific needs.

Let's delve deeper into the discussion: we know the bovine breed better

The cow (or cow for us farmers) is an animal with an emotional character: ours recognize us and come towards us, they moo happily when they see Grandpa Carlo and Simone and are really sensitive to any changes that affect them. Not everyone knows it, but cattle are very habit-forming animals: they love fresh air, routine and company; they hate loneliness, surprises and disturbing elements. Even just a change of enclosure can make them very nervous, causing protests, moaning and much, much stress.

And when cattle are stressed, their discomfort inevitably affects their health and, indirectly, on the production of milk and the quality of their meat. Loneliness, dirt, scarcity of water and space, excessive heat, invasive and noisy activities, group movements on livestock wagons, are all factors that affect the well-being of this very sensitive animal. Unfortunately, in too many intensive farms, there are many cows still forced to survive without being guaranteed the minimum parameters of welfare. In our company, the daily mission is to take maximum care of our cows, eliminating any element that could disturb their day. We want to show you how our cattle live: the stable is open!

Origin

All our cattle are born in Cascina and are 100% Italian. None of them were imported from large foreign farms (where attention to animal welfare often does not exist) and none of them underwent traumatic mass transport here at a young age. When one of our pregnant cows is close to giving birth, she is placed in a pen dedicated to births. Here every birth is special and every calf is welcomed with wonder. One of our stables is dedicated to the cow-calf line: here the cow and calf live together and the puppy is breastfed by its mother for a long time in a natural way.

Space

We are proud of the Cascina stables: dating back to the early twentieth century and modernized in 2010, they bring together the peasant traditions of great-grandfather Silvio with innovations and cutting-edge tools. Each item has more than double the minimum space required by Italian legislation on animal welfare. The stables have both a covered area and an outdoor paddock and each steer can choose whether to enjoy the sun and view of the meadows surrounding our company, or whether to find shelter inside, to rest on always clean bedding made of straw and corn stalks. Freedom of movement is guaranteed!

Temperature

We have said that cattle love to stay cool and the heat is a factor that greatly affects their animal welfare. Some farmers have the possibility of taking their animals to mountain pastures (even if, as we were saying, transport by truck is not always appreciated by the cows). In our stables we manage to maintain ideal temperatures for the animal well-being of our animals all year round, thanks to constant ventilation via blades and the recent installation of a vaporization system which creates a cool and pleasant climate even in the hottest months.

Diet

Forage and water are important factors in evaluating the quality of life of cattle. All our cows always have clean, fresh water available; freshness is guaranteed thanks to the geothermal cooling system which, with a system of pipes, brings the water deep into the subsoil, before letting it flow cooled from the numerous drinking troughs available in our stable.

We also pay maximum attention to the feeding of our cattle and it is a source of pride to say that stable polyphytic meadow hay is the fundamental ingredient of our cattle's diet. The stable polyphytic meadow is stable land, meaning that it has not been plowed and cultivated for a long period (it can be a centuries-old meadow!) in which vegetation grows spontaneously; ours are rich in a variety of spontaneous essences which make the quality of this herb extremely high and which gives incredible aroma and taste to the milk and meat of our cattle. Traditionally we mow the stable polyphytic meadows at least 3 times a year (Maggengo, Augustano and Tertiuolo) and store the bales of scented hay in the barn. Furthermore, we personally sow, irrigate and chop our cereal crops which supplement the daily food ration of our cattle.

We are also supported by a nutritional consultant with whom we collaborate to guarantee our hay-fed cattle a very high quality diet, always balanced and nutritious. First cut hay, second cut and third cut of stable polyphytic meadow, alfalfa and ryegrass have different nutritional values ​​and must be mixed wisely. The daily ration of our calves is in fact mainly composed of different types of hay: every day the farmer Simone offers our cattle a mixture of different hays, mixed to obtain a nutritious ration for all the calves.

Cleanliness and health

The cleanliness of the environments and of the cows themselves is crucial to guarantee a high level of animal welfare and for the prevention of diseases, infections and other discomforts. Every day we guarantee clean straw bedding for all our cattle so that they are free to lie down and rest in fresh, clean and comfortable environments. In addition to this, we have recently installed the latest model of Lely mobile waste remover. We all know the well-known robot vacuum cleaner that cleans floors autonomously. Here, in the stable we have the Discovery 90: a little robot that automatically moves among the cows without disturbing them (who, remember, love tranquility and routine!) and removes all dirt, keeping the floor clean 24 hours a day. day, 7 days a week, minimizing invasive and disturbing interventions. The robot does not cause stress for the animals and a clean and sanitized stable guarantees healthy hooves, thus improving the health and well-being of the cattle.

Our dairy cows also have access to a rotating brush (like the one in a car wash!) which they can access independently: when a cow approaches, the brush starts to rotate, removing dirt and dust from their coat. Visitors are amazed to discover how much our cows love to be brushed and massaged, almost as if they were in a spa! Furthermore, the health of all our cattle is constantly monitored by a system which, for each animal, detects temperature, movements and nutrition. All parameters which, kept under control by the breeder Simone, allow the health of each element of the herd to be assessed at any time of the day, intervening promptly where necessary, thus predicting the onset of any more serious problems.

Milking

In our family business, the F.lli Assanelli agricultural company of Treviglio, we also produce milk and one of the most amazing and innovative aspects of our Cascina is the evolution of the milking practice that we have witnessed over the last century. Grandfather Carlo's father, great-grandfather Silvio, milked all his cows by hand, twice a day, every day of the year. Then came the electric milking machine which, once manually attached to the udders of each individual cow, allowed us to save time. Finally, a few years ago, we installed the Lely Astronaut milking robot thanks to which the cows themselves, in total self-management, attach themselves to the machine, to the immense amazement of their grandfather. When a cow feels the need to be milked, she approaches the robot, a mechanical arm cleans the udders and collects the milk. All this contributes to increasing the animal well-being of our herd: free from stress, over-milking and unwelcome stress, the cows are calmer, healthier and produce more milk. Relaxed cows also ensure a calmer herd.

Official certifications

Our family-run farm annually undergoes the livestock evaluation system developed by the National Reference Center for Animal Welfare, the CReNBA, obtaining scores well above the national average, being compliant with all Italian regulations relating to respect for animal welfare . The CReNBA analysis, carried out by certified veterinary doctors, provides a 360° analysis of the company, going from the evaluation of the employees and their experience, to the analysis of the cattle's diet, the spaces in which they live and their health , as well as the level of familiarity with which animals approach humans.

The final score is the result of an algorithm that includes all these points and provides as objective a picture as possible of the level of animal welfare relating to the stable. Obviously, at every evaluation, our challenge is to always outdo ourselves! In fact, our family has always had among its priorities that of constantly improving the quality of life of our cattle, having their well-being at heart and having a profound respect for their existence. As the famous butcher Cecchini also says, «The sacrifice of animals is not in vain if we know how to respect them» and every day we do our best to give our best.