A visit by farmers from the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship to a demonstration farm in Potoczek, as part of sub-measure 1.2. “Support for demonstration projects and information activities” of the Rural Development Programme 2014–2020 on “Modern technologies for breeding and raising beef cattle”.
A visit by farmers from the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship to a demonstration farm in Potoczek under sub-measure 1.2 “Support for demonstration projects and information activities” of the Rural Development Programme 2014–2020 for “Modern technologies for breeding and raising beef cattle”. This operation is co-financed by the European Union with funds from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD).
The specific theme of the demonstration at the farm in Potoczek was “Sustainable beef cattle breeding and beef production using permanent grassland”. This farm was chosen not coincidentally, as the aim of the meeting was to present the good practices of a sustainable beef cattle farm, which feeds almost exclusively on roughage from grassland and produces breeding and fattening animals. At the same time, in view of the production model used, which is based on the animals staying on the pasture in conditions of potentially high sunlight and thus high temperatures, another objective of the demonstration was to show the modern methods the farm uses to manage the herd, including monitoring of the cattle’s body temperature and thermal conditions both during grazing and staying in the paddock, as well as during the period when the animals are in livestock buildings.
The farm in question is located in the village of Potoczek, in the municipality of Tarłów, in Opatów county (Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship). It is a family-run, partly organic farm and its owner is Eugeniusz Czajkowski. The area of the farm totals approximately 94 ha, of which 61 ha is arable land and 39 ha is grassland, including pastures, meadows and grasses on arable land. The owner breeds Limousin cattle. It is a full herd with all age and breeding categories, based on a group of about 140 suckler cows. There is strict pedigree control in the herd, selection of individuals for growth is based on bulls with high genetic value. In addition to fattening animals, the farm sells high-value breeding bulls.
The herd is subject to beef performance testing, conducted by the Polish Association of Beef Cattle Breeders and Producers and the National Research Institute of Animal Production in Balice.
The farm uses almost exclusively feed from permanent grassland in its feeding. In the summer season, all groups are fed on pasture grass and straw ad libitum, while in the winter season a TMR (maize silage, lucerne silage, haylage and straw) is prepared. Concentrated feed (extracted rapeseed meal) is only added for older young stock as a source of protein. Of course, the daily rations are supplemented, irrespective of the season, with the necessary mineral and vitamin supplements, ground limestone, buffers, etc.
During the grazing season, suckler cows with calves and in-calf heifers are grazed in a daily system, while heifers aged between 0.5 and 1.5 years are kept indoors in an open-sided housing system with access to an outside yard. At the end of the grazing season, all these groups are kept indoors, in an open-sided system with 24-hour access to an outdoor run near the barn. During the grazing season, the animals have access to natural cover, such as shrubs and trees in the pasture (which can also provide shelter from rain and wind), which influences their welfare and well-being during the season.
In the pastures, due to the presence of a natural water source in the form of a stream, water troughs and a so-called watering hole have been constructed, while water is supplied to the facilities from a deep well for ball-valve drinkers.
A farmers’ meeting at the farm was held on 5 June 2023. It was attended by the owner Mirosław Starzomski, the farm’s supervisor from the Świętokrzyskie Agricultural Advisory Centre, and Dr Grzegorz Skrzyński, the farm’s scientific supervisor on behalf of the National Research Institute of Animal Production. The supervisor from the Świętokrzyskie Agricultural Advisory Centre presented the characteristics of the farm, then the owner broadened the subject, presenting his farm against the background of its achievements and practical information on running a herd of Limousin cattle. A tour of the farm, the buildings and a visit to the pasture were also part of the meeting.
As part of the demonstration, participants listened to a lecture on breeding and raising beef cattle, and were also presented with information on the suitability of other breeds of beef cattle for culinary beef production. The audience learned about the most common breeds of beef cattle bred in Poland and their phenotypic and genetic characteristics predisposing them to various forms of use and fattening. Dr Skrzyński also discussed the equipment necessary for the demonstration, with which the farm in Potoczek will be equipped.
In order to optimize the use of the pastures available on the farm, the demonstration discussed, together with the owner, measures to maximize the yield of the available permanent grassland, including: assessing the productivity of the pastures, installing a system of electric and portable fencing to allow easy and quick separation of plots in the pasture. These actions are expected to increase pasture productivity and maximize the use of available permanent grassland.
Particular attention was paid to housing conditions and monitoring animal health, both in the pasture and in the barns. This includes controlling the occurrence of heat stress, which can have a significant impact on animal welfare and weight gain. In order to effectively monitor these parameters, innovative monitoring solutions are being used, which were discussed at the meeting.
The Demonstrations project provides for three farmer visits, which take place while “normal” production is being carried out throughout the grazing season. This multi-stage observation allows close monitoring of animal housing conditions and changes in animal health and welfare at different times.
The meeting with the breeders ended with a discussion on the profitability of raising beef cattle, both with the owner and representatives of the organizers.
