At the beginning of the year, the largest and most modern dairy farm complex in Europe, which recently started operations, opened its doors to invited guests.
Representatives from business, science, municipalities, and banking sectors from Lithuania and abroad visited the “Future Farm” located in Bebrujai village, Radviliškis district, covering an area of 53 hectares. They were introduced firsthand to the operations of this unique dairy farming complex.
Participants toured the feed preparation facility, the cow barns being populated with heifers, the calf barn equipped with automatic feeding systems, and other innovative equipment.
Later, guests gathered in the conference hall, where they learned about completed work and future plans. Ramūnas Karbauskis, owner of the Agrokoncernas Group and the initiator of the “Future Farm” concept, presented plans to develop an international franchise business model.
“When we decided to build such a complex, we started looking for information. However, we found nothing similar on the market to what we intended to create. Therefore, we did everything ourselves from the very beginning, facing all challenges and learning from them, while also developing strong solutions that we believe can be highly valuable. If something similar had existed, I would have gladly paid for the knowledge and experience we now possess,” said Karbauskis.
He emphasized that this is not only the largest and most modern farm in Europe with a unique business model, but also features exceptional infrastructure.
“As far as we could determine, we did not find a single farm with administrative facilities of this scale. Most dairy farms focus solely on business objectives, but we have broader ambitions. By leveraging science, we aim to create a business model that does not yet exist in the dairy sector. This will not only improve our own efficiency but also allow us to share knowledge, enhance livestock productivity nationwide, and ensure excellent working conditions for our team,” he noted.
The farm complex is equipped with technology from the Swedish company DeLaval, known for its deep dairy farming traditions. Among the equipment is the largest rotary milking system on the market, with 100 milking positions. Currently, it milks around 360 cows per hour, with expectations to increase to up to 700 cows per hour once animals fully adapt.
Jonas Hällman, Executive Vice President for Europe, Middle East, and Africa at DeLaval, presented a symbolic gift—a traditional Swedish milk can believed to bring good fortune. He highlighted that the complex features some of the most advanced dairy technologies available.
“This project is also a showcase for our company, as what you see here represents solutions refined over many years. Our main goal is to ensure farm efficiency and animal welfare. We also faced challenges, but they help us improve and contribute to the success of the complex,” said Hällman.
Science plays a significant role in the project. A cooperation agreement with the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences enables the application of scientific knowledge in practice, research execution, and data-driven recommendations.
Prof. Dr. Rolandas Stankevičius, Dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the Veterinary Academy of LSMU, stated that such partnership benefits both business and science.
“By collaborating with the farm, we can conduct high-quality, large-scale research. For scientists and students, this is an excellent laboratory with access to a large animal population. Key focus areas include genetics, animal welfare, feed, and emission reduction. The next planned study will examine the impact of music on cow productivity,” he said.
Kęstutis Vanagas, CEO of YIT Lietuva, the company responsible for construction, noted that this was a unique project. The main challenge was not the scale but highly specific technical solutions.
Concrete works alone reached 53,000 cubic meters, requiring a dedicated on-site concrete plant. High groundwater levels also demanded non-standard engineering solutions.
“Despite all challenges, the project was completed smoothly and on time. We are proud to have contributed to a technologically advanced project that supports sustainable and efficient farming while ensuring comfortable working conditions and a pleasant environment for the animals,” said Vanagas.
The first stage of the complex has now been completed. The full project is expected to be finalized in the second quarter of 2027, including the construction of a biomethane plant.
This facility will produce high-quality biomethane gas from organic cattle manure and supply it to the national gas network, contributing to sustainable energy development and reducing reliance on imported gas.
More than 80 million euros have been invested in the project. Once fully operational, the complex will house approximately 10,000 cattle, including 4,500 dairy cows. Around 50 new jobs have been created at the “Future Farm.”
“Future Farm,” from the start of construction to the birth of the first calf in the complex, can be seen in this video.
