Healthy cows thanks to progressive choices by the Eising family in Beilen

Healthy cows thanks to progressive choices by the Eising family in Beilen

The Eising family from Beilen proves that even with a medium-sized herd, you can still lead the way. While some dairy farmers remain cautious with new technology, they consciously choose innovation.
“We like new developments,” says Henderikus Eising with a smile. “If it brings convenience and better animal health, it always pays off in the end.”

Today, the Eising family milks 59 cows, and the farm has been in family hands for generations. In 1955, the grandparents started on a rented farm, and in 1976, grandfather and father bought the property outright. Since then, the business has grown steadily. In 2003, the family switched to robotic milking with a Lely A2, which was replaced in 2011 by a Lely A4. Despite some advisors’ concerns, the Lely automatic feeding system was introduced in 2020.
“Such a system is simply more precise than you can ever be yourself. Since then, we’ve been producing a few more litres per cow each year,” says Eising with a grin.

For the past ten years, they have also been using the Watter-system, another choice that shows their commitment to investing in the future of their farm.
“At the time, we were dealing with Salmonella, probably through surface water,” Eising explains. “That’s when we switched to spring water combined with the Watter system, to improve the microbiological quality of the drinking water.”

Their introduction to Watter came after seeing an advertisement. “The story appealed to us, so we decided to start a trial period. We quickly saw a difference: the water quality visibly improved, and the cows felt better.” Since the installation, there have been no more Salmonella cases, and veterinary costs have dropped accordingly.
“Of course, it’s an investment,” Eising says pragmatically. “But if it’s good for the cows, you should just do it. And we haven’t regretted it for a second, we’re just glad to be rid of that problem.”

All the investments made over the years, from milking robots to water treatment,  have paid off. The farm runs smoothly, with healthy animals and minimal issues.
“We hardly ever have problems with the cows,” Eising says with satisfaction. “That really shows that all those choices were the right ones.”