Ferme ADM Nieuwenhof Inc. and Ferme Estermann Inc., both located in Dundee, have been recognized for outstanding achievement in the Lait’Xcellent regional competition.
The Producteurs de lait de la Montérégie-Ouest chose the Annual General Meeting on March 8th to present the 2017 edition awards. Ferme ADM Nieuwenhof Inc., owned by Denise Brisson, Adrien Nieuwenhof and Marie-Pier Nieuwenhof, was awarded Gold. This business has a herd of 44 lactating cows and an average production of 10 530 kg per cow per year. According to the owners, the quality of the milk is based on genetic selection that focuses on low somatic cell count and intramammary, pre-calving treatment in heifers. Milk analyses during calving and when the somatic cell count is high also play an integral part in the quality of the milk.
Recipient of Bronze, Ferme Estermann Inc. has a herd of 200 lactating cows which are milked three times a day. Owners Martin and Regula Estermann ranked 3rd in the regionals in 2014 and 4th in 2015 and 2016. They constructed a new barn in 2009 and use sand bedding to favour a low SCC.
The milk, a major concern for producers
The Producteurs de lait de la Montérégie-Ouest are proud to highlight the work of these distinguished producers. The quality of their milk is a major concern for producers who are held to very stringent standards. Every year, the regional council, in collaboration with the Producteurs de lait du Québec, uses the Concours Lait’Xcellent to highlight the efforts of 424 dairy producers in the Montérégie-Ouest to provide milk of exceptional quality that is free of antibiotics and has a low somatic cell and bacteria count.
(Translated by Cathleen Johnston)
