Who We Are

“Zial Holsteins” Farm

Az. Agr. Bertoletta – Pegognaga (MN) – since 1963
Az. Agr. Fondo Barilla – Campagnola Emilia (RE) – since 1998

Both the bovine herds are free stall in bunks with straw, for a total of 940 Holstein heads of which 360 milking cows, 70 dry cows, 450 young breeding females, 60 bulls for natural service (sold to other farms). Our farms are equipped with modern automated cooling systems to ensure the right comfort and welfare to cows during the summer months. Always with a view to cow-comfort also the calving area is “open space” on deep litter and physically separated from the rest.

Az. Bertoletta:200 milking cows on average; production per head 2015 114.38 quintals milk, 3.52% fat and 3.29% protein. Annual market of about 60 milking cows and 60 bulls at stud.

Fondo Barilla: 160 milking cows on average; production per head 2015 113,76 tons milk, 3.20% fat and 3.21% protein. Annual market of about 30 milking cows.

Animal feeding rules for milk production intended for processing into Parmigiano-Reggiano DOP

The agronomic plan of our farms is aimed at the production of hay and grasses (e.g. alfa-alfa), by including maize in crop rotation for the production of grain. Fertilizing is made using slurry and farmyard manure, able to satisfy for the 90% of fertilizer of natural origin.

The food ration given to our cows, whose milk is fully directed to the Parmigiano-Reggiano DOP cheese production, is based on the use of fodder produced on site. In fact, the feeding supply regulation of Parmigiano-Reggiano DOP Consortium reports that at least 75% of the dry matter of the fodder must come from the DOP Area, between the right bank of the Po river and the left bank of the Reno river, affecting for all the provinces of Modena, Parma, Reggio Emilia and partly those of Bologna and Mantua.

Also in the daily ration for milking cows, at least 50% of dry matter should be provided by hay and the ratio forage : concentrate must not be less than one. Fundamental is therefore the work organization starting from the hay harvest, which is the basis of the feeding program. The possibility to have an artificial drying plant ensures the result of healthy hays, digestible and palatable.

The nutritional value of the bovine diet is often analyzed, to ensure the right integration both with the contribution of cereals to ensure the energy coverage both with the soy to balance the protein needs. You can not use any type of silage because it causes harmful abnormal fermentation in the cheese aging. All foods permitted are only of vegetable origin and constantly checked for the aflatoxin content. We use the single dish technique, known as “unifeed”, which consists in preparing a mix homogeneous across the components of the ration and, before distributing it to the animals twice daily, we proceed with the addition of a certain amount of water with the aim of restrict to cows the ability to choose the relative components.