My motives
Welcome to my website! My name is Kees Scheepens. My family has been farming in Best-Oirschot in the province of Brabant, Netherlands for 19 generations. I am an organic pig- and suckler cow farmer, a veterinarian, and people also call me the 'pig whisperer' due to my specialism in natural pig behaviour.
During the classical swine fever outbreak in the late 90's, I had to euthanize 130.000 healthy piglets together with my fellow veterinarians. As was commissioned by the Minister of Agriculture. But this went against all my reasons for becoming a vet; I wanted to heal animals, not kill them. So I came to the conclusion that I, but certainly also our society, had gone too far. Our materialistic thinking led to the suffering of the weak, in this case, the pig.
It led me to thinking that the agricultural industry shouldn't be aiming for 'big, bigger, biggest', but 'smart, smarter, smartest'. And pigs are, by far, the smartest farm animals. My pigs have recently learnt to use a pig toilet: they poo in one place, and pee in another. As a result, no ammonia is released. This has major environmental benefits and ensures that the animals can grow up without the pugnant smell usually associated with pigsties.
At my outdoor farm on the 's-Heerenvijvers estate, I keep Duke of Berkshire® pigs, an age-old British pig breed that I save from extinction by breeding with them. The juicy, tender meat is known as the Rolls Royce of pig meat. In Japan, it is called Kurobuta and has the same status as the well-known Wagyu beef. Simply excellence. The pigs live outdoor year-round, in my 'piggy campsite'. They can take shelter in small, mobile 'pig hotels', and they have all the space they could want for their natural behaviours. Pure, unadulterated happiness!
My Duke of Angus® suckler cows and calves live in a couple of Brabantian nature reserves. They come from the world-wide known robust nature-breed Aberdeen Angus. And by making use of their natural instincts and behaviours, Duke of Angus® cattle provide non-selective nature grazing, increase biodiversity, and of course, provide us with a delicious piece of organic beef. All this by simply doing what they were born to do. The lovely little calves stay with their mother for at least 6 months.
On this website, you can find more information on all these subjects that make my day. Should you like to know more, you can always email me via the contact page.
