26 January 2023

Sales manager Remmelt Jan on the road

Remmelt Jan Arends, sales manager at Nutrifeed, can regularly be found on the road offering support in respect of Kalvolac and the young cattle rearing process, to our current distributors. In the report below he shares with us his experiences and findings accumulated during a trip to the Middle East.

Leading brand
In the Netherlands, Kalvolac is a leading brand with a high awareness level, and that reputation does not end at our national border! A large proportion of calf milk powders is exported. The quality of our Dutch milk powders has an excellent global reputation. The main reason for this renown is our high quality standards.

Trading means travelling
Wherever there is trade there must be travel. Kalvolac from Nutrifeed is well represented in all corners of the globe. I have spent the past few weeks travelling in the Middle East, speaking to customers from Jordan, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

Big differences in farming conditions
We Dutch people are of course extremely proud of our dairy industry, but that pride can also be our downfall. As you can imagine, it is not possible to create a carbon copy of the Dutch system in the countries of the Middle East. There are after all huge differences in temperature (>45 °C), humidity, construction methods for cattle accommodation, farm size and the supply of roughage and straw.

Also advising in optimal conditions for calf rearing
The greatest challenge is heat stress, not only for the cows, but also for calves. This is particularly true in conditions of high humidity. For example in the UAE. As far as possible, fans and atomisers are used to keep the temperatures bearable. For the calves, it is a real challenge to dissipate heat in these conditions. As well as advising on the best use of our Kalvolac products, I also talk about how to create the optimum conditions for the calves, and how to adjust the feeding pattern to the calves’ environment.

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