The Jersey is a small quirky cow that provides extra full and delicious milk with more fat and protein than other dairy cows. Due to the somewhat frail build of these animals, the (bull) calves of Jersey dairy cows have a lower birth weight and little appetite for (much) meat. This does not make them interesting for the veal trade. “That's a shame, because we believe that bull calves should definitely not be a waste product. To give milk, a cow must give birth to a calf once a year, so it is inevitable that bulls will also be born. Fifty percent of the calves born are bull calves. ”
From 2021, DID-IT bv started in Nijkerk as a pioneer at De Braamstruik farm, together with the Henri Willig family's organic Jersey dairy farm in Katwoude, a project that takes care of Jersey bull calves. During the first three months of life, these calves receive organic milk in the open stables of the Braamstruik organic farm on the Voorthuizerweg in Nijkerk. After that, the animals switch completely to organic forage and meadow grass and stay in Nijkerk for up to 12 months of age. The bulls then go to the Eyckenstein farm where they continue to grow up in the pasture to become full-fledged meat animals. In the Netherlands, there are 20 dairy farms (farmers) that keep Jerseys, including eight organic farms that now all bring their bull calves to Nijkerk after drinking with their mother for a few weeks.
Normally, Jersey bull calves are transported, slaughtered and processed into animal feed two weeks after birth. This is an animal husbandry method that is increasingly rejected by society and seen as unethical. We fully agree with this and want to set an example of how things can be done differently. The calves are too small for conventional calf fattening. The calves born to Willig in 2021 were taken care of for the first time at DID-IT's farm, De Braamstruik.
From 2021 to mid-2023, there are now 8 organic farmers who have delivered a total of 154 calves to De Braamstruik after first being cared for by the mother for a few weeks. The calves are raised with organic milk for the first few months and after 6 months they move to the Eyckenstein farm. Antibiotics are not used during rearing. The mother animals have been vaccinated against serious pathogens, so that the calves receive the antibodies via the colostrum. In a spacious open shed, the animals are cared for until the grazing season. In addition, the calves have unlimited access to organic hay and organic herbal granola supplied by HubertCremer's Bio Mühle in Kleve, Germany.
An open potshed with lots of straw is a healthy and very animal-friendly way of keeping calves. Even later as adults, they can show maximum natural behavior and, by their nature, live in small groups. Ultimately, after a few years, this will result in extremely tender and tasty meat with a high Omega-3 content that, according to experts, scores as the best beef. Instead of many kilos at a low price, this is for a higher segment in quality and price. We think that organic Jersey meat, from animals that are discarded in the current system after barely two weeks of life, has absolute potential in this way, provided we are able to tell the whole story to consumers.
There are now several organic stores and Odin organic stores that successfully sell the organic Jersey meat of the Jersey bulls, who have had a nice outdoor life, directly to consumers who opt for less meat but high-quality, animal-friendly meat.