FIRMA DEKKER

The originally Dutch company Firma Dekker has, both nationally and internationally, an excellent reputation as a reliable partner for the supply of high quality dairy cattle. Over the years, Firma Dekker has built up many relationships at home and abroad, generating many contacts in purchasing and sales. Thanks to these contacts, we can supply dairy cattle all over the world, as long as the veterinary requirements of the country in question can be met. The last decade these requirements have proven to be a major limiting factor in international trade of livestock. Due to the declining supply in the Netherlands and the ever increasing demand for cows in-milk within Europe, Firma Dekker, has extended its boundaries. In 2007 Firma Dekker founded its own establishment in Brittany, France called Firma Dekker France. Just as in The Netherlands Firma Dekker France has its own office in Bégard (Brittany) and employs office staff and two experienced buyers full-time in the field to select the cattle. We can currently supply livestock from Holland, France, Germany, Denmark and America.

The end of milk-quota in Europe will change some things. We believe that after departure of national quotas certain areas within Europe will intensify in milk production without rearing their own youngstock; while other areas will remain active in reproduction as well. Our job is to make the two meet, and this along the highest quality- and health standards.

In the near future Brittany in France has excellent possibilities for supplying freshly calved cows to neighbouring countries. It’s centrally positioned in Europe (important due to limited transit time for lactating cows), has the highest health status in Europe (all farms free of TB, brucellosis, tuberculosis, IBR, BVD and minimal occurrence of Johne’s), and dairy farms are paid out via an A/B/C pricing system that is limiting their own milk output.

So, in contrast to their northern-European (Holland/Germany/Denmark) colleagues, French farmers are prepared to sell off a lot more first-rate surplus freshly calved cows. Also; no program is in place to stamp out positives on Johne’s, IBR or BVD so there is no risk an animal is offered for sale for this particular reason. Especially in Germany this can be problematic with animals that are not sold though their auction system.

In addition to this already highest health status, as Firma Dekker we Johne’s-test all animals delivered to the UK prior to leaving their farm of origin. Although Johne’s is only minimally found in Brittany, we want to do our utmost to keep our UK client’s herd as clean as possible.