WHO ARE WE

We are family de Vink and we have a dairy farm in the province Utrecht(NL). Our biggest pleasure is milking old and healthy cows. The average age of our cows have been over 7 years for several years.

Until 1997, we had had 2 cases of clinical paratuberculosis each year. We became tired of this and we decided to examine the droppings of every single cow. Moreover, we decided to pursue the rules of the health authority (GD). This includes evacuate positive cows, feeding chemical fertilizer, always wearing clean boots in the cowshed for young cattle and feeding hay. This method is really expensive, since you lose lots of cows and you spend much money to research. Examination showed that 20% of the cows was infected by paratuberculosis.

After finishing the 'Management Sustainable Dairy farming' (Management duurzame melkveehouderij) project, Leen did a reading about our business and came in contact with Jaap van Bruchem. He knew someone who was able to give solve the para problem.

Jaap van Bruchem and Dhr. Bijkerk have been to our farm and they placed the SMET box in the cowshed. We had some doubts: what are the effects of the device on the cows and on ourself. Leen was in fact against any alternative cure, but it gives trust en openess when there are some honest and good people that want to help you against low costs.

We stopped with all hygiene measures and we didn't get any case of paratuberculosis from that point on. We didn't aduct the infected cows. New examination on the droppings was done in 2008 and the infection was only 3% at that time!