NORTH FARM

 The dairy integrates well with a larger arable enterprise of approximately 1500Ha. The successful herd of 220 Holstein cows currently yields approximately 10,000 litres per annum on a twice a day milking regime. The milk is sold under a premium contract collected every other day. The cows calve inside over 90 days in the autumn. Sexed semen is used extensively. All Holstein heifer calves are kept and reared on the farm as herd replacements and enter the herd at two years old. Aberdeen Angus beef calves are sold at 3-4 weeks old. The cows are milked through an 18/36 De Laval parlour with auto ID and auto shedding. The Cow Manager activity system is used to monitor cow health and activity across all cows and bulling heifers. Other recent investment includes automated calf feeding, robot feed pusher and a LED lighting system. Cows are housed pre calving and remain on straw yards throughout the winter housing period. All animals are fed a total mixed ration (TMR) based on grass silage, wholecrop wheat silage, with pre-mixed straights whilst they are housed in the winter. During the grazing period the platform is set up as 2 day grazing blocks managed using a plate meter and mobile electric fences. These grazing leys are reseeded every four to five years more recently resided with herbal lets. The cutting leys are reseeded annually to aid the arable rotation. There is a fixed area of permanent grass which is mainly downland that is used during the summer for dry cows and youngstock. The team is led by the dairy manager, herdsman and a part time student.