About Soureth
The city where Soureth Holsteins is located, was in the years 1860 to 1981 a township lying in the community Simpelveld, and was called Soureth back in those days. This name finds its origine in the sour soil underneath the township. Ever since 1981, the location of Soureth Holsteins lies in the city of Heerlen, in the deep south of the Netherlands.
Picture 1940
The history of the farm runned by the Vaessen family goes back to 1938, when the first generation of the Vaessen family started farming on Soureth. At that time the farm covers some hens, 14 cows and 4 pigs and a little land lying just around the farm. The Vaessen family had 12 children, of which 4 went on in 1970 with the farm together. They purchased the farm from their parents and at time the farm covered 45 cows and 23.000 hens. Across the years they got the posibillity, together with their own families, to expand to 85 cows and 135.000 hens. 135.000 kippen.
Ever since 1999 the farm is runned by one of the 4 brothers together with his wife and four children. Then the decision was made to milk the cattle with an automatic milking system by Lely, known as the A2 . With the robots milking for them, the quantity of work couls easily by done and they did not have to reduce in the number of cows. In this way the family could alowly prepare for the future and the next take-over.
In 2004 their only son joined the farm, at the moment his study at the Higher Agricultural School was finished with good results. Currently the farm is runned by Father Harrie, mother Tilla and their son Mark Vaessen. Also in 2004 Mark and his wife Mariandel met each other at that very same Higher Agricultural School. When the moment came Mariandel also finished her study with good results, she joined Mark working on the farm. She was a useful hand during the building of a new poultry barn and the replacements of the milking robots. The 2 A2 robots were replaced for their new version, the A3, again from Lely, and she could support the cattle in the daily business.
In 2010 Mark and his wife Mariandel extended the dairyfarm together with Soureth Holsteins. They gave Soureth Holsteins a name by the purchase of some animals and embryos, and still we are working with fresh bloodlines in our stables and with our cattle. The combination of the cattle we already bred and the new influences, make the herd of Soureth look really nice, in al ways.
Our breeding purpose is not that complicated: “youthful, vital and balanced cows with good milk”.
Picture 2004
Currently the farm of the Vaessen family covers the numbers of 166.000 hens, 100 milking cows, and 80 pieces of calves and dry cows. The cattle are 100% of the Holstein Friesian breed. Back in 2009, our dairy farm was the #1 in the province Limburg, based on the average of our milk production registration, that runs a period from September 1st until August 31th . The results were an average over 119 animals, 11.640 kgM with 4.49%, 422kg fat and 3.54%, 412kg protein. In 2010, again we were #1 of our province, this time with an average over 111 animals, 10.415kgM with 4.43%, 461kg fat and 3.67%, 382kg protein. And now, in 2011 for the third year in row we are the #1 of our province, and we made it to the 83th place of all dairy farmers in the Netherlands (there are 16084 dairy farmers in the Netherlands)! This was realized with 99 animals, 11.029kgM with 4.31%, 476kg fat and 3.52% 388kg protein.
The average of all milking cows over the last year is 12.372 kgM with 4.19% fat and 3.40% protein.
In the period of September 1st 2012 until August 31th 2013, Soureth (VOF Vaessen) has become the number 1 of the Netherlands! With an average over 100 head of 12.492kgM, 4.27% fat and 3.45% protein it brings an EJR (economic year result) of 3082!
From left to right Mariandel, Luke, Martijn, Mark and Daniel.
Welcome to our website, hopefully you enjoy our farm and cows!
Mark, Mariandel, Martijn, Luke and Daniel Vaessen
