Baza danych projektów PROW

A farm in Bzince pod Javorinou aimed to increase the competitiveness of its milk production. Despite a deterioration in market conditions preventing an increase in profitability in the short term, important improvements were made to the farm.

At the cattle-breeding farm, JAVORINA AKB, the buildings were in very poor condition and milking technology and other machinery was out-dated. Thus JAVORINA AKB needed urgent modernisation in order to become competitive. To succeed in the market the farm had to increase its assets (from 300 cows to 600 cows) in order to reach milk production profitability (based on the milk prices in 2008-2009). The farmer decided to apply for EAFRD support, as using only a bank loan and private resources, it would not have been possible to implement such an investment.

The overall aims of the project were to increase the competitiveness of the farm and to improve animal welfare. These were to be achieved through the specific objectives of increasing the number of milking cows and the capacity of the milking parlour and improving labour productivity and working conditions.

The main activities undertaken to realise the objectives were: i) Building a new cowshed and milking parlour; ii) Purchasing a new milking machine, a new feeder, a tractor and a cutting machine.

The implementation of the project resulted in increased productivity, an improvement in the quality of milk, better hygiene and working conditions and improved animal welfare. Improved economic sustainability of the business is expected to be measurable in the longer term (the next 3-5 years) after the full capacity of the cowsheds is reached and maintained. However, this longer term impact will only be realised if the market conditions for milk production remain adequate.

Between the project approval and its implementation prices of animal feed increased 13% and milk prices dropped 53%. Under such conditions milk production became an economic drain on the farm however, despite the economic situation, the farmer could not stop the project and so it was still partly implemented. For the beneficiary therefore, it is important to understand, before making any final commitment, to what extent – and under what circumstances - flexibility of implementation is allowed.

Bzince pod Javorinou, district Nové Mesto nad Váhom

Trenciansky kraj

Slovakia

2 156 203

808 576

269 525

215 620

862 482

Vladimír Michálek

michalek@a-kustra.sk

+421 0346965011

Slovak