Ho’Rocher bio

Small family-run dairy farm with cows, sheep and goats. Everything is used on the farm, the animals are fed only grass and hay and allopathic treatments are virtually non-existent.

We work with hardy breeds from our region, with respect for the animal. Our herds are made up of :

Small family-run dairy farm with cows, sheep and goats. Everything is used on the farm, the animals are fed only grass and hay and allopathic treatments are virtually non-existent.

We work with hardy breeds from our region, with respect for the animal. Our herds are made up of :

– 7 cows of the Ferrandaise breed (cousin of the Salers). The Ferrandaise is a mixed breed that can produce both milk and meat in a mountainous area, with average-quality meadows and cold winters. Our cows calve from March to April and are dried off in December, so they can spend the winter in peace. You’ll never find our products in January or February!

We leave the calves with their mothers until they are 8 months old and milk the surplus milk. Our cows are free-range all year round and are fed exclusively on grass and hay. Our steers are separated from the herd at the age of 8 months to join the beef herd. Our cows and bull are also all trained in animal traction, as we don’t have a tractor and it’s they who move the hay, manure and water in winter.
We also have
– 15 Massif Central goats. The Massif Central is a hardy breed that thrives on mountain meadows and is more resistant to the cold than other breeds of goat. They are brought in every evening because they don’t like the dampness and coolness of the night. The goats give birth in March and are milked until October/November, depending on the year. They keep one kid with them throughout lactation.

– 15 Thone et Marthod ewes. The Thone et Marthod is a hardy breed that thrives on mountain meadows and resists the cold well. The ewes spend part of the year with the goats, then end up in the open air when they dry off, as their lactation period is much shorter! The ewes give birth in January, and raise their lambs for 2 months, after which we separate the lambs at night so that we can milk the ewes in the morning. The ewes are dried off in August at the latest.