Ex Quintanes student, Marc Farrés Garrido, who finished his medium level, pig breeding studies last year, has been proclaimed winner of the above title in the agrarian category, and has earned himself 800€ as part of the award. Marc achieved the prize with his synthesis project entitled ´Construction project for a workshop to treat milk produced by cows at Les Basses de Manlleu`. The site had always produced milk and also offered beef on a commercial basis. But while Marc was doing work experience at the farm he saw the potential in building on the milk already produced there and offering other dairy products at the on-site shop. His conclusion showed that this was indeed a viable option and today Les Basses offers its customers a wide variety of products. The prize-giving ceremony took place on the 29th January at the Industrial Ter Museum in Manlleu. It was the sixth edition of the prize organised by the economical promotion office of Manlleu's town council, in collaboration with the Agriculture, Fisheries, Farming, Food Produce and Environmental sections of the Catalan government and Unnim of the BBVA banking group.
On Friday, 31st January the first year, farming course students made a visit to the Bagaria i Tristany company which specialises in rearing friesian calves and various other specialist calf species. The company is based in two separate sites; one in Les Màsies de Voltrega and the other in Gurb. The latter is where the animals are looked after as they grow. Mr Joan Bagaria explained to us about the economic process undertaken during the buying and selling of the calves, the present state of the market and the health, feeding and machine aspects of the farm. We would like to thank Joan for all his help on the day.
On Tuesday, 28th of January the first year, higher level pig breeding management course students visited the Can Vilà farm, owned by Granges Buadas. It holds 1400 sows and is located in Sant Andreu Salou. On the visit we were able to revise all the concepts present in the pig breeding study plan. We would like to thank the Buadas Artau family, and their technicians Pau and Abel, for the advice they gave us on the day.
On Thursday 30th January the first year, higher level Forestry management students went to see the facilities of the Grans del Lluçanès company in Sant Martí d'Albars. They learnt all about the the process of obtaining biomass in pellet form. This actually makes use of the waste produced by wood cutting appliances and the resulting pellets are packed into 15 kilo bags and sold whole-sale. They also discovered how the product is controlled in terms of quality. The students therefore saw how to make use of a bi-product of woodcutting that is a sustainable and cheap source of energy.
