OUR VISIT TO MR. BOETTO’S FARM APE – ITIS PININFARINA

On 24th March we went and visited Mr. Boetto’s farm On 24th March we went and visited Mr. Boetto’s farm. Mr Boetto was very helpful and explained all the aspects in a very clear and professional way, showing us the processes and components present in the farm, from the milking area and how to milk a cow, to the fridges where to stock milk, automation processes for food and sewage collection, including a wonderful break with "pizza", snacks, soft drinks and a very taste "salami" of his own production. On this farm there are 200 cows approximately, divided as follows: 90 milk cows 50 heifers, young cows which will produce milk in 2 years about 15 bulls 45 calves of different ages, from 1 hour old to 1 year old

Mr. Boetto and our class

How many litres milk does a cow produce per day? It produces about 30 lts milk. The cows are milked twice a day, in the early morning [6 am] in the late afternoon [6pm]. Every two days, the farm delivers 6.000 lts milk to a tank truck that collects milk from the different farms to produce cheese and dairy products for a big industry. A cow produces milk for about 300 days a year, then is left "dry" for 60 days, the period in which the natural/artificial insemination takes place. Artificial insemination is used to determine the gender of the future calf: on this type of farm, heifers are necessary to produce milk, so usually she-calves are born here. The gestation period lasts 9 months. A newly-born “baby” , 1 hour of life! calf

  How many kgs fodder does a cow eat per day? From 30 to 40 kgs fodder, composed of: hay, cereals [corn, soya etc], integrators. Hay and cereals are produced by the farm and consumed locally. How many lts water does a cow drink per day? A cow drinks 15% of its weight: a cow’s weight is 500 – 600 kgs, so it drinks about 100-150 lts water per day. These cows produce milk as a consequence they need to drink a lot to improve and increase the milk production.  What the price of a milk cow? It costs about € 1.800,00

Do cows stay in the stable or can go out in the fields and graze? The cows are free to move in the stable but never go out. They don’t live in small boxes, on the contrary they have a lot of space to move.   What veterinary controls does a cow receive per year? A cow is controlled once a year. A vet checks its blood for the 3 fundamental and most serious illnesses [Tuberculosis, Brucellosis, Tracheitis and, lately, the Blue Tongue] and the cow’s general health. Each cow possesses an identity card, connected to the identification number labels pinned in its ears, where the controls are registered. Furthermore, APA [an association of agricultural producers] monthly checks the milk production and quality of each cow.

What are the essential rules the building has to respect, according to the International and National laws? - Anti-slippery floors with holes that allow the discharge of sewage to keep the floor clean. - Blue tiles up to 2mts on the walls to keep the milking area clean - Natural Light in every area

How is sewage collected, disposed and recycled? Sewage is automatically collected in a very huge tank and then collected by special trucks that transport it to the recycling centre to produce fertilizers. Milking area Sewage tank fodder

bulls Pregnant cow calves

Last but not least, we would like to thank Mr Last but not least, we would like to thank Mr. Boetto for his kind hospitality and the great help he's given to the development of our project "APE". 4CM – Itis Pininfarina