"The key to switching to De Heus was having someone I could trust technically"
Trust is one of the most important concepts in human relations. Siblings Ana and Juan Antonio González García, responsible for the Cañada Salinilla SL livestock farm in San José del Valle (Cádiz), know this well. It was precisely the need to trust in a company that would help them make good decisions on their farm that brought them to De Heus. "A change in quality is noticeable", they point out.
Ana and Juan Antonio own an intensive dairy goat farm. Currently, they have around 600 Florida breed goats in production and a total of 280 breeding animals. Their farm produces 1,450 litres of milk per day, which they deliver to the company Fromandal SA.
The brothers are already the fourth generation of farmers in the family, as their great-grandfather, Cristóbal González, already owned a dairy goat farm at the beginning of the 20th century.
Eight years of partnership: De Heus delivers on trust and quality
De Heus came to their business in San José del Valle eight years ago. They were looking for security, guarantees of a job well done, and they found it the first time. "The key to making to switching companies", they say, "was to have a person they could trust technically". That person is the area sales manager, Luis Rivera, of whom the siblings highlight "the veterinary service and advice he offers us", as well as the "quality of the products".
Ana and Juan Antonio were mainly looking for solutions in two areas of their work: nutrition and animal pathologies. "De Heus' experience helps us to make good nutritional decisions. In addition, we always work together with Luis to improve our decision making at the health level (vaccination programme, possible pathologies on the farm, etc.). From the moment we have started working together, we have noticed a change in quality and a change to continue advancing at a technical level on the farm. We have total control of our fodder thanks to the analyses that De Heus offers us," they say.
Meeting farming needs: A holistic approach with De Heus
To meet these needs, the company's technicians put them in contact with the LaboExpert service, the service developed for optimum use of the farm's fodder resources. "This gives us up-to-date information on the fodder we use on the farm. When Luis presents us with the results of the fodder, he uses the Feed Expert programme to prepare the ration that is best suited to our production and our animals. In addition, at each visit, he gives us feedback on the economic situation of the farm with Margin Monitor Milkin, as the cost of feed is the main expense. Having the assurance that De Heus can optimise and get the most out of your animals is a peace of mind for us," they confess.
Optimizing farming: The data-driven advantage
But the relationship does not stop there, as their trusted technician also helps them to address the issue of feeding on the farm. Specifically, through the 360º Rearing Plan, with which they have managed to optimise times and have been able to reduce the age at first calving, between 13-14 months.
"In the production batches we have achieved more efficient feeding, we have managed to have healthier and more productive animals and we have increased the number of lactations per goat. We work with homogeneous batches of animals according to production and they adapt the ration for each one of them", they add.
Trust in De Heus: The path to professionalization
The González García brothers are decidedly positive about the fact that "De Heus offers us a lot of valid information. We believe that, to continue professionalising this sector, we need a lot of data, but we have to know how to use it. De Heus accomplishes this. For this reason, we are convinced that De Heus the right company to give our trust. We believe we are on the right track," they say.
