Shiny pink piglets at pig farmer Van Aert

The pig farm of the Van Aert family in Nederweert has 825 sows and 6,500 fattening pigs. In an interview with Nieuwe Oogst, son Michel Van Aert talks about the future-oriented business choices the family has made. "I feel a great responsibility to improve our business. That's what I get up with in the morning and go to bed with at night."

Circuit close

The 25-year-old Van Aert retrained as a livestock farmer through MAS in Horst. Immediately after, he went to work at home. He is now in the partnership with his father Fons, mother Angelique and brother Stefan. Together they try to make the business as future-proof as possible. Therefore, in addition to the closed pig farm, the family has an arable branch in order to close the cycle. Some of the manure is spread on their own land, where they grow corn, grain and potatoes.

The manure is grown in the orchard in the middle of the year.

In addition, the pigs are given a variety of other feed.

Such as the sows are given a special menu to promote ovulation and recovery feed after insemination. "The special gestation feed, in turn, ensures better implantation of the embryos and produces somewhat heavier and more viable piglets at the time of litter," the young entrepreneur knows. "We have vital piglets and little loss partly because of this."

Antibodies in colostrum

The trick is to get the animals to drink from the mother as soon as possible. The colostrum gives them antibodies. "When I walk through the farrowing house and see the shiny pink piglets and a calm sow, it gives me a satisfied feeling. That's how it should be."

Hygiene in and around the stables also proves to be of great importance. Trucks arriving at the yard have not been to another pig farm in the days before. To prevent the introduction of diseases. The family also does not buy animals and all employees and visitors shower before entering the barn. A color system ensures that all instruments and company clothing are linked to an animal group.

"We have been able to reduce antibiotic use tremendously. We want to prevent diseases instead of cure them. We try to get our act together down to the last detail. During the last heat wave we not only took measures in the barn with extra water and extra cooling for the animals, we also cooled down the semen. That way it remains of good quality before we inseminate."

Health and quality

Health and quality are top priorities for Van Aert. "Healthy pigs deliver a better quality product. The family would like to build a new 'house' for the new generation of sows, the breeding gilts.

"At the moment the barn is outdated and we keep weaned piglets and breeding gilts in one place, while we want to offer them more space, light and all modern facilities. But we haven't been able to get a permit for a year and a half now," says the farmer.

The pig farm is located more than 3 kilometers from the built-up area in an agricultural development area. "And we're not even going to keep more animals and, with the investment in an air scrubber, we're further reducing the emissions of ammonia, odor and particulate matter," the livestock farmer says. 'We want to move forward with the business. When that doesn't work, it's pretty tough."

Seeing opportunities

Despite this setback and the growing social resistance to intensive livestock farming, Michel is optimistic about his future. "It is the nature of me and our family to see opportunities above all. By cooperating with people who have knowledge of the business, we can achieve a lot in agriculture and horticulture. The fattening pig manure is processed at Kumac in Deurne."

In order to earn a good living, the Van Aerts pay close attention to costs. "And we work hard, because as the saying goes: nothing goes for nothing." To stay healthy himself, the pig farmer swears by a structured life.

"And of course you also have to apply yourself socially and do something fun once in a while," Van Aert continues. "So I cycle, play soccer, meet up with friends and am administratively active for the Agrarisch Jongeren Kontakt in Midden-Limburg."

Source: New Harvest