Farming
The Netherlands has been known for its mature dairy industry, leading not only in cow but also in goat. Today there are 60+ goat farms that deliver fresh goat milk to our ENS milk powder factory. By keeping long-term contracts with the local farmers and cooperating together, we are able to secure the precious raw material for our products.
The major dairy goat breed in the Netherlands is Saanen, known also as the “Dutch white goat”. Saanen breed is considered as one of the best dairy goat breed worldwide for its high milk yield result compared to other breeds.
Animal welfare
Animal welfare has gained more and more attention in the past decade, hence our goat farmers also attach great importance to the living condition of our precious goats.
Currently our farmers are working on topics such as increasing outdoor space & clambering material and encouraging natural herd behavior to further improve animal welfare.
Feeding
The feed ration for dairy goats normally consists of grass and concentrates, which is further supplemented by cut corn, press pulp, alfalfa and/or beerbrush, among others.
This feed combination covers the need for energy, protein and minerals, which are essential for the production of high-quality milk.
For most goat farmers, a professional feed representative visits the farm every six weeks to review and analyze the feeding status. Based on these results, the feed ration will be adjusted, if necessary.
Milking
At our farms the goats are milked twice a day in a clean milking parlor, the milk is then transported immediately to a cooling storage tank where it is cooled at 4°C to maintain its freshness. Every three days the milk is collected by the milk truck. Samples are taken from every milk collection and tested in the laboratory at our plant, where the fat & protein level are checked among other things.
From feeding to milking, the dedication and commitment of our farmers can be seen in each step of the farming process, which forms the basis of our premium goat dairy products.