CRV Fleckvieh testimonial
CRV Fleckvieh
Experiences of other farmers
Other farmers about CRV Fleckvieh
CRV’s Fleckvieh cows are popular among farmers because they are robust and long-lasting, produce a high amount of milk with a lot of fat and protein, they stand for a good fertility and more. Read the experience of farmer Johann Wimmer with Fleckvieh.
"Our cows are part of the family"
The Wimmer family from the Schneiderhof farm in Grabenstätt on lake Chiemsee puts all of its farming eggs – and its passion – in the dairy basket
A look across the countryside from the Wimmer family’s Schneiderhof farm is heart-warming: You see the stunningly beautiful Chiemgau region and lake Chiemsee. “We live in a region that’s a very popular holiday destination,” enthuses Johann Wimmer and adds: “We could really just offer holiday apartments and have a much more relaxed lifestyle, but that’s not what we want. We’re totally dedicated to our cows!”
Development
Managing the farm takes 3.5 people working full-time, because the farm has grown considerably over the past few decades. It is currently run by father and son Schneider and their wives. They reached the current herd size of 135 cows plus progeny in several steps: In 2005, they built a new freestall barn with milking parlour for 75 cows, including enough space for progeny.
The next barn extension in 2020 was completed from the family’s own resources alone, with everybody pulling together. “As part of the extension we also bought a robot for 60 cows,” says the farmer. “As soon as we had familiarised ourselves with the system, we realised just how much relief the robot offered us, especially for my wife!”
Breeding
The Wimmer family wants to breed cows with a long productive life, healthy udders, very good persistence and robust health. “The herd is very uniform and developing more and more in line with our breeding goals. This is just one outcome of a long-standing, targeted approach to mating based on the programme,” SireMatch emphasises Johann Wimmer.
“But of course we also want them to produce milk,” adds the farmer with a laugh. And his cows certainly do: They are producing a herd average of 10,015 kg with 4.05% fat and 3.64% protein – an impressive feat, considering that the cows deliver a lifetime production of more than 26,000 kg on average.
“It’s our goal to keep our cows until they’re older. There’s potential for improvement here,” says the dairy farmer. “A young cow only costs money – it’s the older cows that make money.” As a result, the Wimmer family fully identifies with CRV’s breeding philosophy. They aim to breed efficient, healthy cows.
A family matter
Viktor Nissen, a CRV AI technician, has almost become part of the family. Johann Wimmer is convinced that the average AI index of 1.72 he achieves with his cows is not least due to the absolutely reliable and trusting relationship with Viktor. “He’s a top guy, somebody you can also have fun with,” laughs Johann Wimmer and adds: “He’s been visiting our farm for about ten years now, and he makes sure he lets us know if he notices any problems with an animal.”
What tips can the Schneiderhof farmer share with apprentices or colleagues? “It’s really important to do things with passion. Either you do them fully, or you don’t even start.” Johann Wimmer places a lot of value on continuous professional development. He and his son attend many events, watch online webinars and study a range of journals. Apart from ongoing development, the Wimmer family also puts great stock in keeping a close eye on their cows.
Outlook
Johann Wimmer answers the question about the family farm’s future as follows: “We’re done with major structural work for the time being. We might add a few igloos to the calf pen, though. And we want to improve our efficiency at work. We’re not intending to grow. We don’t want to increase our herd size significantly.” His motto for the future is optimisation. There are still a lot of adjustments the family can make, for example in arable farming or in terms of making their work easier. “As a family, we’re very happy if we and our cows all stay healthy and contented,” concludes Johann Wimmer, looking out from his farm home across the beautiful Chiemgau scenery and the snow-capped Alps.
Farmer profile
| Farm | Schneiderhof – Familie Wimmer Oberaschau 2 83355 Grabenstätt |
| Branches of the farm’s business | Dairy production, 75 kW biogas plant (liquid manure), landscape preservation |
| Workforce | 3,5 |
Hered | 135 Fleckvieh cows |
| Performance | 10 015 kg 4.05% F 3.64 % E |
| Lifetime production | 26 000 kg |
| First calving age | 29 months |
| Calving interval | 390 days |
| Ration | 15 kg grass and 20 kg maize silage, 0.5 kg straw plus 5 kg concentrate each, fed via a mixer wagon and transponder |
| Farmland | 60% grassland, 25% silage maize, 8% grains, 5% soy beans and 2% fallow land |
| Current CRV sires | Doc, Habsburger, Hyper, Wuhudler, Hirn, Virgina, Mercedes Pp, Westwind, Manaus, Epinal, Haribo und Wobbler |
Interested in breeding with CRV Fleckvieh
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