Abstract #524

# 524
Housing and management systems for dairy cows.
P. J. Galama*1, A. Kuipers1, H. J. van Dooren1, 1Wageningen Livestock Research, Wageningen, Gelderland, the Netherlands.

The Dutch dairy chain works intensively on achieving a set of goals on climate neutral development, improvement of animal welfare and health, maintain grazing and biodiversity and environment. These goals are yearly monitored by Wageningen Economic Institute. All 16.500 dairy farmers in Netherlands use a management tool, the Annual Nutrient Cycling Assessment (ANCA) to give insight in the mineral cycle (N, P, C) at cow, soil and farm level and in pollution of soil, water and air. Housing and manure management play an important role in achieving these goals. The development of new techniques, especially in housing, aim to improve animal welfare, reduce emissions of ammonia and green house gasses, increase manure quality for use as fertiliser or soil improver, and have public support. Two Freewalk housing systems will be demonstrated, a bedding of organic material like wood chips and an artificial floor which separates urine from feces. Different floor types and handling systems of manure, like aerating the slurry, are studied at the Climate Measurement Units on Research Station Dairy Campus. Results of low emission techniques will be shown. For example: the ammonia emission per cow is 30% lower in a Freewalk housing system with wood chips compared with cubicle housing, despite more than twice as much space per cow. A new impressive development to collect urine in the concentrate feeder is the Cowtoilet. The idea is to lower the emission of ammonia and upgrade the urine fraction. Also examples to increase capital efficiency by keeping other species or horticulture on the compost bedding during the grazing season will be shown. To maintain grazing, new grazing systems are researched by using sensor data to predict grass growth, grass intake and to save labor by using virtual fencing. The floating farm in the harbour of Rotterdam is in development to get closer contact with the society and local stakeholders by using by-products and waste.

Key Words: dairy, housing, innovations