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The cow whisperer from Diemendorf

2022-10-05T09:15:07.602Z


The cow whisperer from Diemendorf Created: 10/05/2022 11:02 am By: Laura Forster Farming is a family affair for the Holzers from Diemendorf. On the farm of district chairman Georg Holzer not only son Jakob (5) helps, but also son Georg (4), wife Regina, mother Therese and brother Hans support the farmer in his daily work. © dagmar rutt Georg Holzer from the Tutzinger district of Diemendorf is


The cow whisperer from Diemendorf

Created: 10/05/2022 11:02 am

By: Laura Forster

Farming is a family affair for the Holzers from Diemendorf.

On the farm of district chairman Georg Holzer not only son Jakob (5) helps, but also son Georg (4), wife Regina, mother Therese and brother Hans support the farmer in his daily work.

© dagmar rutt

Georg Holzer from the Tutzinger district of Diemendorf is not only the largest dairy farmer in the district with 530 cattle, he also recently took over the office of district chairman from Georg Zankl.

A visit to the farm of the 42-year-old.

Diemendorf

– There is no dog on the Aussiedlerhof at number 38 in Diemendorf.

But two dozen cats, 16 southern German draft horses and around 530 cattle.

Within a few decades, the Holzer family has quintupled the number of dairy cows, but thanks to technical progress, the work has become less.

The welfare of the animal always comes first for farmer Georg Holzer.

Technical equipment instead of manual work

The 42-year-old opens the heavy door that connects the house with the cowshed.

Dressed in Engelbert Strauss work trousers and a green felt hat on his head, he grabs a pitchfork, looks at the few-day-old calves sleeping in their stalls as he passes, and trudges along the 130-metre-long stable lane, which only became a stall in 2019 was expanded last time.

To the left and right, the dairy cows stick their heads through the metal grid and chew on the corn/silo feed mixture, scratch the oversized electronic dishwashing brush or make their way to one of four memory robots.

“We bought our first milking robot in 2009.

That changed a lot,” says Georg Holzer and checks the electronic display.

“Now someone can do the stables alone in the morning.

Passionate farmer

The 42-year-old knew from the start that Georg Holzer wanted to be a farmer just like his parents.

“I turned my passion into my job.

Of course it's a 365-day job, but I've never regretted it." After completing an agricultural apprenticeship and subsequent master's degree, he took over the farm in Diemendorf in 2006.

He supplied the Scheitz dairy in Andechs until 2009, when they decided to switch to organic products.

Holzer stuck to conventional farming.

“For me, regionality comes first.

That's the most important.

I don't believe in shipping groceries halfway around the world, even if it has an organic seal on it.” For 13 years, the around 5,000 liters of milk that are pumped out in Diemendorf every day have been brought to Ingolstadt.

Young cattle spend summer on alpine pastures

Holzer decided against switching to organic at the time, but he emphasizes that his barn would meet the requirements.

“The welfare of the animals is very important to me.

I can't eat a cow that lived on our farm either.

It would just be a strange feeling, because you know the cattle from an early age, watch them grow up and deal with them every day for years.” At Holzer, his animals, most of which are Simmental cattle, come to around 140 every day from April to November hectares of pasture.

"I don't want to stand in the barn all day when it's 30 degrees myself.

It's a lot nicer outside." The approximately 200 young cattle that have not yet had a calf are even allowed to spend the summer on an alpine pasture in the Riss Valley in the Karwendel Mountains.

“The animals have been brought to Austria for 15 years to enjoy the alpine grass there for a few months.

At first, other farmers gave me strange looks.

The effort is enormous, of course.” Holzer has to drive the distance of 93 kilometers ten times before all the cows are on the pasture.

"But it's worth it to me.

The cattle are much more boisterous.

It also has a great effect on the health of the animals,” says Holzer.

Last Friday he brought the last animals back to the farm in Diemendorf for calving.

Hobby draft horse breeder since 1979

The family's 16 horses live on a lush green meadow just a few meters from the cowshed.

The Holzers have been breeding southern German draft horses since 1979.

Two of the imposing animals pulled the wagon with the ship of the Tutzinger guild at the traditional costume and rifle parade at the Oktoberfest this year.

"Horseback riding isn't really my thing, but we like to ride in a carriage," says Holzer with a smile and strokes the fur of a two-year-old chestnut mare.

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Since August, Holzer has not only been a hobby breeder and full-time farmer, but also district chairman in the Starnberg district.

“I used to be a deputy.

A good six months ago, my predecessor Georg Zankl asked me if I would like to take on the position.

I could well imagine it.” Holzer wants to bring agriculture, especially the positive aspects, back into the minds of the citizens.

“Don't just think about the slow-moving bulldog on the road or the smell of manure.

Farming is so much more.” He meets his colleagues about twelve times a year and discusses current issues that concern farmers in the district.

Hof should remain in family hands

While Georg Holzer takes care of the cattle in the barn, his four and five-year-old sons don't leave his side.

Driving the mini tractor around the farm, feeding the cows or doing gymnastics on the bars - they share their passion for agriculture with their father.

“Of course I hope that one of the two will take over the farm one day.

We're a family business.

However, there is still a lot of time until then.”

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2022-10-05

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