No mess in the pigsty – thanks to Weidemann
At the beginning of 2014, Stefan Springsguth took over management of the Agrargesellschaft mbH Bernterode [Agricultural Society]. The former LPG specialised in fattening pigs and cattle.
The farm machinery was exactly like the substance of the building in the past. "The first thing I did was to replace the farm machinery almost in its entirety" explains Stefan Springsguth, who is also employed as the sales advisor to a large tractor manufacturer. This was how three Weidemanns came to the farmyard in a short time. Feeding with the 1240, manuring with the 3070 and loading and stacking tasks with the 3070T – as each has its own field of expertise.
After a year as managing director, the ambitious young farmer was able to pay off the last five partners. "We will now gradually renovate the buildings", he says. Some of these will have to be gutted completely, at other places a bucket of paint will suffice. The pigsties in Bernterode are open. The pigs are in the main on columns and are fed through feeding stalls along the concourse. The Weidemann 1240 LP looks after the filling of these feeding stalls. As the ceiling height is very low, there was not very much room for manoeuvre when choosing suitable machines. "The Hoftrac 1240 LP is absolutely right for us", says Stefan Springsguth, "because of the low design, it is not only practical for use in the stall, but it is also very stable and getting in is easy."
An interesting feature is that the agricultural society offer private individuals the opportunity to look for a pig themselves. The chosen pig is marked and placed in a stall with deep litter. Here, it is fattened up in accordance with the wishes of its new owner. Once it has reached the desired weight or the right time has arrived, this pig is slaughtered in accordance with the customer's requirements. In the interim, the customer can always pass by and visit "his" pig. Thanks to the open stalls, here there is no increased risk through additional germ contamination..
In addition to the porkers, the agricultural society keeps a further five herds of cows, with a total of some 350 animals. These are also wintered in the stalls. Outside, on the large farm estate of around 4.5 hectares, the machinery is also used on about 300 hectares of managed green spaces and farmland, as well as in contract work. Here, Stefan Springsguth works in partnership with an associated undertaking. For the future, this educated farmer wants further modernisations. This means, for example, high silos for fodder storage and a PV system on the hall roofs.
