It just doesn’t happen very often we record in a field surrounded by cows just after a cow gave birth to a calf. There’s no more fitting place to explore the super complex role of animals in the food and agriculture space than walking the land- and standing amongst the cows- with Benedikt Boesel, founder and farmer at Gut&Bösel, in Alt Madlitz, in Germany.
Very few topics will divide people in and outside the food space quicker than cows. So here we are, walking that fine line, quite literally surrounded by three hundred cows who are an integral part of the fertilisation of Benedikt’s 1000-hectare arable farm, characterised by very sandy soils. We discuss everything from how much joy animals bring to a farm and how complex it is to treat them well and how they are a direct mirror of your actions.
We talk as well about the moment in which the cows are taken out of the system, and how Benedikt does that.
⚠️ WARNING: We apologise if the first part of the episode is shocking, but this is also part of the food and agriculture sector that must be faced and considered. Even if you don’t consume animal protein, your fields are likely fertilised with either fossil fuel-based fertiliser or animal manure).
This episode is part of the Role of Animals in food and agriculture systems of the future series, supported and co-produced by the Datamars Sustainability Foundation.
WHY BENEDIKT BROUGHT COWS BACK TO THE FARM
Benedikt reintroduced cows to reduce dependency on external nutrient inputs and achieve self-sufficiency. Cows close nutrient cycles, eliminating reliance on contaminated manure and enhancing farm resilience.
“Wanting to be independent was one of the main driving forces… I need drastic changes. It’s not going to be enough just to include crop rotations. You can’t do it with just nurse crops, cover crops or crop rotation. And that’s all nice and good, but you need additional nutrients.’’ Benedikt Boesel
COWS ARE SUCH AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE FARM AND THE FERTILITY MANAGEMENT
Rather than confining cattle to permanent pastures, he fully integrates them within his crop rotation system, moving them three times daily across fields that will later grow grains and vegetables. This integration solves multiple problems simultaneously – providing natural fertilization, enhancing drought resilience, and serving as a financial buffer through livestock as stored values.
‘’The potential impact of the cows for water retention and photosynthetic capacity, and also just as a sort of risk diversification of product. Right now, here we are standing amongst, let’s say, I don’t know, 600,000 euros worth of cows. Right… it’s a storage of value… they could potentially cover liquidity problems. So, if I have to get through a month, usually around June, July, which are often tough, tough months liquidity wise, you know, if, if I’m forced to, I could sell some animals..” Benedikt Boesel
CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES OF REINTEGRATING COWS IN THE ROTATION
Managing cows requires understanding herd psychology and adapting practices. The steep learning curve involves direct feedback, humility, and balancing animal welfare with farm logistics.
’’The learning curve is just probably one of the most, let’s say, beautiful things about the whole thing, specifically with the cows […] But with the cows, it’s on so many other levels because they are sensitive beings, right? They constantly hold a mirror, making you understand that you are really just a very, very unimportant little piece in the universe.’’ Benedikt Boesel
MOST “HUMANE” APPROACH TO A COW’S DEATH
Rejecting the stress and trauma of transportation and slaughterhouses, he harvests cattle right on pasture with a rifle shot while they’re peacefully grazing. Cows are killed on pasture without stress, integrated into their routine. The method ensures instant, painless death while preserving meat quality and dignity.
‘’With the shot, he just collapses in a second. He doesn’t even hear the shot. I think it’s probably the most beautiful death that you can have, because that cow that I shot, the only thing that cow is thinking in that moment is ‘why is that idiot standing in front of me?’ There’s no pain, there’s no nothing, there’s no stress, and there are no worries. There’s nothing out of the ordinary. Not only is that I think the most – well, it’s a difficult word to use in that sense – humane…” Benedikt Boesel
OTHER POINTS DISCUSSED
Koen and Benedikt also talked about:
- Agroforestry-cow integration synergy
- Compost’s role in fertility
- Policy barriers to forest grazing
LINKS:
LINKED INTERVIEWS:
- We explored Benedikt’s story and farm back in 2020 with a full series about transition finance for farmers with Benedikt as co-host.
- Benedikt Bösel, updates from the 3000h German farm in transition
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The above references an opinion and is for information and educational purposes only. It is not intended to be investment advice. Seek a duly licensed professional for investment advice.