Dairy feed – exploring costs, climate and local sourcing

The Netherlands is a leader in Europe in increasing the use of local crops and food industry by-products in dairy cattle diets. The local dairy industry is making more progress with this every month, and other countries such as Germany are watching closely. But the situation is complex, explains Dr Wilfried van Straalen, a researcher at Schothorst Feed Research of Wageningen University. What do dairy cattle currently eat in the Netherlands, and why? “Cattle feed is mainly by-products from g