There has been a long-held belief among farming gurus that the only way to carry on in agriculture has been to keep growing, but a young North Yorkshire dairy farmer who has just picked up an award for his family’s farm believes there is a herd size that is sustainable and that he is aiming for.
“I’m looking at growing our cow numbers,” says Ross Johnson who farms with his father Colin and uncle Robin at their 265-acre Low Whinholme Farm in Streetlam near Danby Wiske. “What I’ve heard in recent meetings is it seems that a lot of really big herds, that some thought they needed to aspire to, are not necessarily the answer and some are realising if they just pull back on cow numbers things can be a bit easier.
Calves will feed from a teat in their stall and will benefit from a more natural feed of a little and often through the day. Ross says the current crossbred herd of Montbeliarde cows, Friesian, British Friesian, Holstein and some Norwegian Red is swinging slightly towards the Montbeliardes. “They’re a much more robust cow. They maybe don’t give the yield, but with them being crossbred off a Holstein they’re a nice cow with a bit more longevity.
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