More than 25 years of silent power behind SFR's technical department
André Blok has been with Schothorst Feed Research since 1990. He started as an animal caretaker for the cattle but after five years, a reorganization offered him the opportunity to transition into the technical department. To make this change, André had to retrain in technical skills, something he never regretted. “My work is incredibly diverse,” he says with a smile. “I handle the feed and water dosing systems in the barns, but I’m also responsible for all technical equipment in the offices and labs. Sometimes, the work can be unpredictable, and you have to think on your feet during breakdowns, but that’s what makes it so rewarding. When you fix an issue quickly, everyone’s happy!”
The breakdown service is an essential part of Schothorst. Well-functioning equipment is important for any agricultural business, but for a research company like Schothorst, it’s even more critical. “If a dosing or measurement system stops working, the experiments could immediately be at risk,” André explains.
Over the years, many processes at Schothorst have been mechanized and automated. This has made the work less labor-intensive, more efficient, and reduced the risk of errors. As a result, the technical department has become even more important, with many different systems requiring maintenance and repair. “For instance, we track the feed and water intake per pen for laying hens and broilers, and we have a roughage robot and automated feeder for the cows. These machines simply need to work, because research can’t continue without them,” says André.
At the moment, the cows are still milked in the milking parlor, which is time-consuming and not always ideal. “Soon, we’ll switch to robotic milking, and that’s another exciting new challenge,” André adds with a laugh. Another recent innovation is measuring methane emissions in dairy cattle with a GreenFeed sensor. This device measures the air a cow exhales while eating concentrate feed and analyzes its methane output. “It’s a fascinating technology for researchers, especially with the current focus on climate change.”
In addition, the technical department manages the energy supply for the entire research company and maintains lab equipment. “Some of the analytical devices are very specialized, and we rely on the supplier for those, but we can fix a lot ourselves,” André says.
What André values most about working at Schothorst is the open communication and the great relationships with colleagues. “Everyone is involved and taken seriously. I get to be part of the budget discussions on behalf of the technical department, and together we make sure the money is spent wisely. That feels really good!”
Working conditions contribute to job satisfaction
Henk den Hartigh started his career at Schothorst Feed Research in 1983 as a lab analyst, working just twenty hours a week. "I wasn’t only in the lab, I also helped with poultry research. For example, I 'milked' roosters for hen insemination," he says with a laugh. By the late ‘80s, veterinary tasks were added to his role, such as drawing blood and histology.
Henk lives in 't Harde, between Harderwijk and Zwolle, about a half-hour drive from Schothorst. "In the beginning, the analytical lab work and veterinary lab tasks were separate, but over the years, they have increasingly merged," he explains. Nowadays, animal technicians also fall under the lab's responsibilities. "It makes sense that the person collecting the samples also understands what analyses will be done with them."
Over the years, Henk has witnessed many changes in the lab. "For instance, we moved from the traditional Kjeldahl method for nitrogen analysis to Dumas, and NIRS has replaced many wet-chemical analyses," he shares. “We now have specialized equipment that makes the work for analysts simpler and more efficient.” Information technology and artificial intelligence, with self-learning algorithms, also play a key role in research today. “But human expertise remains indispensable. A critical eye is needed to spot errors in lab results and implement improvements,” Henk believes.
Two years ago, Henk transitioned from the lab to quality control and occupational health services. He was already conducting audits for Schothorst, Lloyds, and Voederwaarde.nl. “The goal of an audit is always to improve as an organization, not to hold people accountable for small mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes, as long as you learn from them,” he emphasizes.
Henk enjoys the process-oriented work and sees audits as an opportunity to highlight issues and suggest improvements. "Of course, you also need to identify risks and deliberate errors, but it's always about the shared objective," he explains.
In his role with the occupational health service, Henk advises internally on working conditions, but the final responsibility lies with management. “No one wants employees to suffer injuries because the work is too physically demanding or someone falls down the stairs,” says Henk. He notes that occupational safety regulations are often viewed as bureaucratic, but he feels that this view is misplaced. “Safety really needs to be in everyone’s mindset. I’d rather you take longer to do a task safely than rush and get hurt.”
Henk acknowledges that it can be difficult to make people see the importance of safety regulations. “Often, you don’t notice the damage until later, when it could have been prevented,” he says. He stresses the importance of good leadership, practical workspaces, and making sure safety goggles and helmets are available. “Even if you’ve been driving a forklift for years, you need a forklift license. Without that license, the entire organization could be in trouble if something goes wrong.”
Inspections and regulations are becoming stricter, especially in terms of working conditions. But according to Henk, proper documentation and compliance with the rules are essential for creating a safe working environment.
Collaboration makes it enjoyable
Jaap started at Schothorst Feed Research in August 1982 as a pig caretaker, right after attending agricultural school. "In my first year, I also had the opportunity to explore other animal species, which gave me a good understanding of the entire operation," he says. Schothorst is a research company, which makes the work slightly different compared to a regular livestock farm. Jaap still regularly helps with research involving cattle and poultry. “It’s great how well everyone works together here, and how we support each other during busy research periods. It also adds variety to the work,” he says with satisfaction.
Jaap grew up in Putten on his family’s farm with cows and pigs, and he still commutes to Lelystad every day.
He was also involved in creating research feeds. “These feeds must meet the client’s exact requirements,” he explains. That’s why Schothorst collaborates with a trial feed factory that offers flexible production options.
Over time, Jaap returned full-time to working in the barn. Over the past few decades, he has witnessed many changes: "The work has become less physically demanding. In the early years, we had to carry a lot of straw and feed bags. Weighing piglets was also heavy work, but now everything is mechanized and automated, which makes things much easier."
Due to new regulations in livestock farming, a lot has changed, especially in housing. Jaap explains, “Our sows now roam freely in the farrowing pens, and we stopped tail docking piglets and beak trimming hens years ago.” Such transitions require thorough research. “We need to carefully examine the impact on feed compositions, for example, with free-roaming sows or preventing feather pecking and cannibalism in hens.”
The staff has also grown significantly since Jaap started, from around forty to about a hundred employees. “We now have more international colleagues. Sometimes communication can be challenging for the barn staff, but we always manage to make it work with gestures. It’s great that management encourages foreign researchers to learn Dutch.”
There have been many upgrades to the facilities too, from new barns to a refreshed canteen.
“Collaboration here is always strong,” says Jaap. “I can easily walk into the lab or speak with the researchers for a quick discussion. And there’s real attention for each other, which creates a positive work atmosphere and a good balance between work and home life.” That culture allows everyone at Schothorst to "grow and thrive," Jaap concludes with a smile.
A small team with big impact
Jack attended agricultural school in Zwolle, specializing in pigs and poultry farming. In August 1996, he joined Schothorst Feed Research as a poultry caretaker. "At that time, we had three barns: for laying hens, broilers, and parent stock, and there were only three of us working. Over the years, we’ve added more barns, animals, and staff," he explains. In addition to regular duties, Schothorst also conducts nutritional research with ducks and turkeys, which Jack finds an interesting expansion, as these sectors also require nutritional expertise.
In 2007, Jack became the poultry farm manager. "Many people don’t realize that Schothorst is not only a research company but also a fully operational livestock farm. We have to comply with all the regulations that apply to the sector in the Netherlands. I’m responsible for farm management, data recording, and things like the sale of eggs and animals. Using a management program, we closely monitor Schothorst’s performance compared to the sector average."
Jack emphasizes the importance of keeping up with industry developments to support research. "We’re ahead of the curve with research on new barn systems, free-range environments, natural light, and welfare aspects such as intact beaks in hens. When the government or society introduces new requirements, we support feed companies and poultry farmers to help them meet those demands without compromising animal health or farm performance."
As farm manager, Jack works closely with poultry researchers. "It can sometimes be a challenge to set up research that’s scientifically sound, meets the client’s needs, and aligns with practical farm conditions. Ultimately, the results need to be practically applicable," he explains.
What Jack enjoys most about his job is being the key person in the barn, acting as a bridge between the caretakers, the lab, the administration, and the research department. "Every project is a team effort. Everyone feels partly responsible for the final result, and we bring out the best in each other. Our poultry team is really tight-knit and stable: we work well together and look out for one another, both professionally and personally."
Jack has noticed some changes due to Schothorst’s growth and increasing independence. "We have more staff, and the consultants are often out in the field, so I speak with them less. The organization has also become more commercial and efficient." However, the core of SFR remains intact, he says: "There’s still close collaboration between departments, and everyone works together. "
We are truly a close-knit team
Mirjam Scholten completed her vocational training in laboratory technology, but in the 1980s, there were limited job opportunities in the field. As a result, she initially worked as an administrative assistant at a post office. However, her passion for lab work remained, and on September 5, 1989, she started at Schothorst, initially through a temp agency, working two days a week.
“Fortunately, I was able to stay on, and later, I increased my hours to three days a week, which suited me better. Two days felt too little,” says Mirjam. During busy periods, she even worked four or five days a week in the lab.
“The work at Schothorst is incredibly varied, which I really appreciate,” Mirjam explains. She enjoys learning new things and being involved in developing new analysis methods. “We’re not a routine laboratory, so there’s always something new to learn and do. Clients sometimes request specific analyses, and I can use my expertise to help figure out how we approach those challenges.”
In 1994, during the reorganization at Schothorst, many changes took place, including in the lab. “That was when I had the opportunity to learn new skills and started working as an animal technician. I became more involved with handling animals and collecting samples. It’s really exciting work!” Schothorst also conducts a lot of histological research, studying organs and tissues such as intestinal wall structures. As animal health becomes more important in nutritional research, new analytical techniques are constantly being introduced.
It’s clear that Mirjam enjoys the variety in her work and the opportunity to learn new things. Schothorst has consistently provided her with opportunities to grow throughout her nearly 35-year career.
Many things have changed over the years: “We have more equipment now, which has automated many analyses, making them faster and more efficient,” explains Mirjam. Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) was introduced to quickly analyze the composition of feed and raw materials. Still, wet chemical analyses remain essential for precise measurements and to keep NIRS calibration lines up to date, she says. “In the future, we’re likely to replace our atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) equipment, but I was happy to still get the chance to work with it and learn.”
SFR increasingly uses in vitro techniques for digestion research in pigs and poultry, as well as gas production tests for rumen fermentation studies. “This saves a lot of test animals and helps develop predictive digestion models.”
Mirjam learns a lot from working with her colleagues at SFR: “There’s close collaboration between the lab, the farm staff, and the researchers. We frequently discuss the design and execution of the research. There’s a lot of mutual respect for each other’s knowledge, which creates a great working environment for everyone.”
In recent years, Mirjam has taken on more quality control responsibilities: “I oversee the proficiency testing in the lab, ensuring analyses are performed, recorded, and processed on time, and I also conduct internal audits. It’s more office work, but I still stay active in the lab!”
Everyone at SFR has become busier over the years. “This means we no longer play billiards (the table is gone), volleyball, or card games during lunch as much as we used to, but there’s still plenty of opportunity to connect with colleagues, both about work and personal matters. We’re truly a close-knit team,” concludes Mirjam.
From Data to Results
Next year, Rienk van der Scheer will celebrate his 35th anniversary at Schothorst Feed Research. “In the late '80s, after studying Animal Husbandry in Groningen, it was difficult to find work,” he shares. As a result, Rienk pursued further education in Agricultural Informatics. He started on May 1, 1990, as an assistant in feed automation at Schothorst.
“In my early years, we didn’t have a network, and I spent hours digging underground to lay cables,” recalls Rienk. He was also responsible for connecting workstations in the main building, the laboratory, and the farm to the network. Today, he works as a trial supervisor and system administrator, viewing the automation of trial data collection as a significant advancement. “We can now register much more data, and the chance of errors is lower due to automation. Moreover, researchers have direct access to the data, without the need for paper forms,” he explains.
Rienk considers the automation of processes, such as the automatic weighing of dairy cows and recording their condition scores, a valuable innovation. “We now have the body weight and condition score of each cow twice a day, which provides a wealth of data.” The intake of concentrates and roughage is automatically recorded, and the same applies to feed in the pig farms. SFR has its animals processed at a small slaughterhouse, which, according to Rienk, is more efficient for collecting the desired slaughter data.
Nowadays, Rienk focuses primarily on automation in poultry. He explains, “We not only register feed intake, but we can also track water intake per pen, which is important in many studies. For laying hens, egg production and egg mass are also automatically recorded.”
Although the field has changed significantly over the past decades and the ICT team has grown, Rienk also observes constants. “As a trial supervisor and system administrator, you are truly the linchpin,” he says. Rienk works closely with researchers, laboratory staff, and animal caretakers to ensure that each study is conducted correctly and that clients receive reliable answers. He emphasizes the importance of early consultations with all involved parties. “This way, we can ensure that all necessary data is collected and that the results are neatly handed over to the researchers.”
Rienk values the short lines of communication and teamwork within SFR. “The departments work closely together; there are no silos.”
Living in Lelystad, Rienk bikes to work every day. “It’s about a half-hour ride, which is a nice distance,” he says. “It also keeps me in good shape.”
More Collaboration, More Results
Wilfried van Straalen has been a ruminant researcher at Schothorst Feed Research for over thirty years. “I was still working on my PhD in Wageningen when Piet van der Aar invited me to join Schothorst,” he recalls. “The position immediately appealed to me, so I started in Lelystad. As a result, the completion of my dissertation took a bit longer than I had planned.”
In the beginning, Wilfried found it exciting to visit clients: “I would drive around with a map of the Netherlands on my lap, heading to cooperatives or farmers' study clubs all over the country. Initially, as a ‘young rookie,’ I was met with some skepticism, but I quickly built a trusting relationship through my knowledge of nutrition.” He views those visits as extremely valuable: “You get to know the companies and their farming communities, and you build genuine relationships. This gives you a good understanding of the sector and the knowledge needs of the animal feed industry and the farmers.”
Wilfried frequently gave presentations at CLO days, where there was great interest in the DVE/OEB system. In Lelystad, excursions and tours were also organized for various target groups, although this has decreased recently due to busy schedules.
In the early years, there were only two ruminant researchers at SFR; now there are six. At that time, only two trials per year were conducted for dairy cattle, whereas now this has grown to six to eight trials annually. Wilfried notes that Schothorst has experienced significant growth in every aspect and that the organizational structure has evolved. “When I started, the research was structured like a matrix, with animal categories (ruminants, pigs, poultry) in ‘columns’ and disciplines (digestive physiology, animal health) in ‘rows.’ Later, we abandoned this ‘silo mentality’ because there are many interconnections between disciplines, and processes are often similar across different species.”
With the independence of Schothorst as a private limited company, many changes occurred: “We started collaborating with the VVM, which brought the private sector into the fold, and we adopted the VVM training program. For a long time, the private and cooperative animal feed sectors in the Netherlands were strictly separated, but this was not sustainable in the long run. Scale expansion and mergers made it necessary for us to adapt and prepare for the future,” Wilfried explains. SFR became more commercial: “We began attracting more clients from abroad and organizing national and international training sessions and courses. As a research company, we offer research facilities but are increasingly providing services and products, which we now package with maintenance contracts. This creates stable revenue and long-term relationships with customers.” Additionally, SFR collaborates in many public-private partnership projects with other research institutions and companies in the sector. “We gather and generate knowledge, but we are also committed to implementing our expertise in the field,” emphasizes Wilfried.
Today, Wilfried serves as the Senior Consultant & Product Manager Ruminants. He leads the research program and is responsible for planning the trials. “I enjoy staying closely connected to practical applications, bringing in and developing my ideas,” he says. “As a research leader, I can work quite independently here, but I am also in close contact with my colleagues and our clients and partners both domestically and internationally.”
