Animal welfare and circular economy: the growth of the La Caliera company

Matteo Marchioron is 27 years old and has been running the family business for eight years, theLa Caliera farm in Bolzano Vicentino, which has been producing milk for three generations Grana Padano. As a boy Matteo did not think that he would work in the same sector as his grandfather and father: “I was studying mechanics and my passion was machines”, he says. Then, something moves him: “My grandfather taught me the values ​​of this job by putting animals first – he adds – In my family I have always been told: do you want more? Go and get it. When you’ve earned it you’ll know what it’s worth. What better ground than one’s own company to put it into practice?”.

Trust and innovation

The first hurdle to overcome was gain the trust of grandfather and father. Matteo succeeded thanks to theparticular attention to animal welfare and the choice of initiatives e innovative projects aimed at supporting it: “These are projects by circular economy which allow you to save while always looking at the welfare of the animals – explains the young man – for six years, for example, we have been using a separator that divides the solid part from the liquid part of animal manure, the former becomes a highly absorbent litter, better than sawdust because it is completely natural, the latter is used to fertilize the land. In this way we do not have to buy straw or sawdust and we are completely self-sufficient”.

This intervention also looks at the cow welfare and to milk quality product: a natural litter guarantees the reduction of mastitis with a consequent increase in milk production, greater cleanliness of the udder of the cows and an increase in the average life and much less dust dispersed in the environment compared to that contained in straw or sawdust. The land around the stables is necessary to ensure the food needs of the animals, 50% are permanent meadows and another 50% alternate corn and alfalfa.

Present and future

Today Matteo Marchioron’s company has a total of 180 heads, of which about a hundred dairy: “We are a small company, a bit like the average of this area – he says – my father and I work permanently, my mother lends a hand with the calves and milking and there is a boy who is an apprentice cheesemaker at the Consortium in the morning and helps us in the afternoon. We deliver all the milk to Latterie Vicentine which produces 80,000 wheels of Grana Padano a year”. “In our territory – he concludes – it is not easy to grow. But there are few young people who continue the family business and I’m sure there will be room to make it”.