Kittelhof in Görisried relies on hay milk: In 2023, Angelika and Daniel Weber from Kittelhof in Görisried in the Allgäu region took the step of switching to hay milk. This decision was characterized by a vision for the future of the farm, which aimed to gain more time for the family and to run the farm successfully with the family’s own workforce.

The Weber family’s Kittelhof farm is idyllically situated at 840 m in a secluded location, where three generations work and live with passion and dedication. The hay milk farm is run with 55 dairy cows and 65 offspring with a herd yield of over 11,000 liters of milk per cow and impressive fat and protein contents of 4.71% – 3.75%. Angelika and Daniel Weber run the Kittelhof on several pillars, including dairy farming with cattle breeding and farm vacations.

Since 2023, the family farm has also switched to pure hay milk production. The decision to switch to hay milk was primarily a strategic and labor-economic consideration. Together, we carefully considered how the future of the farm could be shaped. With upcoming and necessary investments in the farm’s old hay barn, which was already turning 2/3 of the yield into hay/grass, the switch to hay milk was an obvious and passionate decision in favor of dry fodder.

During the hay harvest, Daniel Weber drives the wilted hay with his loader wagon into the newly built hay hall, where it is stored by hay crane in one of the 4 drying boxes. Thanks to the latest dehumidifier technology, roof extraction and fully automatic drying control, the hay is dried with the entire leaf mass in a particularly crispy state thanks to minimal crumbling losses.

To ensure a sustainable overall concept, the electricity for the system is mainly supplied by the farm’s own PV system. The absolute highlight of the farm is the hay crane, which is connected to the cowshed via rails, making it possible to feed the animals conveniently with the hay crane in winter without the need for a feed mixer wagon. Daniel remarks with a twinkle in his eye: “The fragrant and tasty hay is delivered directly to the cow’s mouth without any complicated feeding or additional effort.”

The Weber family farms 52 hectares of grassland, with Daniel taking over the farm from his parents in 2006. The new path they have taken towards pure hay farming is a testament to their innovative strength and ability to adapt to the future challenges of modern agriculture.