through the roof energy savers on trial - Arla Foods Milk Partnership

Autumn 2008 Issue 28 INSIDE THIS ISSUE...
SLURRY SPREADING
The
White
Stuff
BACK IN BUSINESS
BALANCING HERD DIET
QUEST FOR EFFICIENCY
IN THE HOT SEAT
VET TALK
AUSTRALIAN
EXPERIENCE
THROUGH THE ROOF
ENERGY SAVERS
ON TRIAL

News
New eyes
on <strong>the</strong>
forecasts
A project to improve milk
production forecasting is
being led by farmer’s
daughter Amelia Vega
Bustelo, who joined Arla’s
milk buying team in July.
Amelia, who hails from
north west Spain, is currently
familiarising herself with <strong>the</strong>
Partnership and visiting farms
to find out about forecasting
from a producer’s viewpoint.
With accurate forecasting
becoming increasingly
important, <strong>the</strong> Partnership’s aim
is to develop a new web-based
milk forecasting system in time
for <strong>the</strong> milk year beginning
next April. Amelia’s project
will not affect this autumn’s
forecast.
At present, <strong>the</strong> accuracy of
forecasting within AFMP varies
hugely, from one per cent
variance to 400 per cent, with
an average difference between
<strong>the</strong> forecast and actual milk
supplied of nine per cent. In an
average month <strong>the</strong> forecast is
inaccurate by 11 million litres.
“Forecast accuracy is very
poor and of limited use,”
Amelia comments. “However,
we do have some farmers who
submit very accurate forecasts,
so it can be done.”
The web-based system,
which will be accessed <strong>through</strong>
<strong>the</strong> AFMP website, will
standardise <strong>the</strong> forecasting
procedure and require <strong>the</strong>
minimum amount of key
information from producers.
With AFMP supplying around
80 per cent of Arla’s raw milk
requirements, <strong>the</strong> system will
enable <strong>the</strong> company to plan
ahead with confidence and
also help members with <strong>the</strong>ir
own business plans. Accuracy <strong>the</strong> key to forecasting: Amelia Vega Bustelo
Scandinavian board members confirmed
Peder Tuborgh Ove Møberg Åke Hantoft Jan Toft Nørgaard Palle Borgström
While Milk Partnership Limited (MPL) directors Jonathan Ovens,
Wes Abbey, Martin Evans, Stuart Fletcher and Stuart Verity will be
familiar names to most AFMP members, <strong>the</strong>ir Scandinavian peers
on <strong>the</strong> new joint venture company board are probably less well
known.
The Danish and Swedish representatives on <strong>the</strong> joint venture
board of 10 include:
■ Peder Tuborgh, chief executive of Arla Foods amba, who joined
<strong>the</strong> company in 1987, has an MSc in economics and business
administration from Odense University and more than 20 years’
experience of working in <strong>the</strong> dairy industry. Before becoming
managing director and <strong>the</strong>n chief executive, he was marketing
manager at Danya Foods, Arla Foods’ subsidiary in Saudi Arabia,
and executive director for <strong>the</strong> Denmark division.
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■ Ove Møberg, who has 80 cows at Hejnsvig, Denmark, is
chairman of Arla Foods amba and has been a member of its board
since 1992.
■ Åke Hantoft, a dairy farmer with 220 cows at Laholm, Sweden, is
vice-chairman of Arla Foods amba and has served on <strong>the</strong> board
since 1998.
■ Jan Toft Nørgaard has 300 cows at Skaeraek, Denmark, and has
been a board member since 1998.
■ Palle Borgström, who has 140 cows near Göteborg, Sweden,
joined <strong>the</strong> Arla Foods amba board this May.
The joint venture company, <strong>through</strong> which MPL is a part owner of
Arla Foods UK with Arla Foods amba, held its first full board meeting
in Aarhus, Denmark, in August, and is scheduled to meet at least
twice a year.

MORE SPACE
■ The three partners in a
Leicestershire AFMP farm are
hoping to improve <strong>the</strong> health
of <strong>the</strong>ir 250 Holsteins, by
putting in 60 new larger cow
cubicles.
Paul Gidlow, cousin
George and fa<strong>the</strong>r Robert,
of R and W Farms at
Springwood, Staunton Harold,
are knocking down <strong>the</strong> 45 old
3ft 6in x 6ft cubicles and
putting up new 4ft x 8ft
cubicles instead.
“Because <strong>the</strong> old cubicles
are too small for <strong>the</strong> herd, <strong>the</strong>
cows spend about 90 per cent
of <strong>the</strong>ir time standing up, and
if <strong>the</strong>y do lie down <strong>the</strong>y can
struggle to get up again,” says
Paul.
“The new cubicles will allow
<strong>the</strong> cows more time to sit
down and eat, and hopefully
improve <strong>the</strong>ir comfort and
health.”
The improvement will also
see <strong>the</strong> installation of a new
collecting yard and backing
gate, and follows on from
advice received at Asda/Arla
farmer workshops, which
have emphasised <strong>the</strong>
importance of cow comfort.
ORGANIC DEMAND
■ Overall demand for organic
milk continues to increase, but
<strong>the</strong> rate of growth has slowed
significantly compared with
previous years, OMSCo
states in its annual market
report.
Organic milk supply for
2007 of 390 million litres
represented only one per cent
supply growth against six per
cent over <strong>the</strong> previous three
years.
Currently <strong>the</strong>re are
33 million litres in conversion
to organic, half of <strong>the</strong> amount
in conversion a year before.
New demand for organic
dairy products has come from
<strong>the</strong> food service sector,
ingredients and export
markets.
OMSCo states: “If <strong>the</strong>
concerns and challenges of
constrained supply, surging
costs and fragile confidence
can be overcome, <strong>the</strong>n
organic dairy farmers can be
optimistic about <strong>the</strong>
opportunities that exist to
meet customer demand and
grow market share at home
and abroad.”
Holidaymakers have loved
spending time at <strong>the</strong>
Spendloves for <strong>the</strong> last
10 years.
And now twice as many
people can enjoy <strong>the</strong>
experience since Derbyshire
AFMP producers David and
Ruth Spendlove recently
completed a second stone-built
cottage on <strong>the</strong>ir Wiggonlea Farm
at Alderwasley, near Belper, on
<strong>the</strong> edge of <strong>the</strong> Peak District.
They did all <strong>the</strong> main building
work <strong>the</strong>mselves before calling
in help for <strong>the</strong> electrics,
plumbing and plastering.
The two cottages, both
four-star rated by <strong>the</strong> English
Tourism Council, bring extra
income into <strong>the</strong>ir dairy, beef
and sheep business and also
help to bridge <strong>the</strong> gap between
town and country.
“We like meeting <strong>the</strong> public
and almost everyone who
comes here is keen to know
more about <strong>the</strong> farm and wants
to look around,” says Ruth.
“A few know about farming, but
<strong>the</strong> majority don’t and some
people are surprised that we
have to milk <strong>the</strong> cows every
day!”
Pouring on Christmas cheer
Arla has increased its range
of Christmas alcohol creams
to 15 this year with <strong>the</strong> addition
of winter fruit and Jim Beam
bourbon for Asda and rum and
raisin for Tesco.
Work started on <strong>the</strong>
Christmas selection in
February when <strong>the</strong> company’s
commercial team presented
recipe ideas to <strong>the</strong> retailers,
including samples from
Arla UK’s development centre at
Holme upon Spalding Moor in
East Yorkshire.
The final range was confirmed
in May and customers <strong>the</strong>n
decided <strong>the</strong> volumes to be
ordered with <strong>the</strong> help of Arla’s
business managers.
This year Arla’s commercial
team aims to widen <strong>the</strong> scope
for alcohol cream by promoting
it as an accompaniment to
more contemporary desserts,
such as chocolate torte, as
well as Christmas pudding and
mince pies.
3
With a milking herd of
65 Friesians and Montbeliardes,
a bull beef operation,
replacement heifers, and a
flock of 120 ewes <strong>the</strong>re is
plenty for visitors to see.
The family, who have been
Partnership members since
2005, were certificate winners
in <strong>the</strong> 2007 milk quality awards
and are also committed to
providing high standards in
<strong>the</strong>ir holiday accommodation.
David and Ruth already have
plenty of bookings for <strong>the</strong> new
two-bedroomed cottage, known
as Fletchers Barn, which like <strong>the</strong>
original holiday let, Wiggonlea
Arla placed alcohol orders
in July, and Northallerton
creamery has produced small
taster pots for consumers to
buy at <strong>the</strong> supermarkets in
September.
The bulk of Christmas alcohol
News
Four-star self builders
Star turns: Ruth and David with <strong>the</strong>ir children, Emma and Daniel
Stable, has exposed beams
and open stone and brickwork,
but with a downstairs bedroom
and extra wide doors for
wheelchair access. “We have
constantly striven to improve our
facilities,” said Ruth.
There has been farming at
Alderwasley for centuries and
Wiggonlea, farmed by Ruth’s
family for several generations,
is one of <strong>the</strong> village’s oldest
settlements.
Away from <strong>the</strong> farm, <strong>the</strong>re are
walks in <strong>the</strong> 650-acre Shining
Cliff Woods opposite and easy
access to <strong>the</strong> Derbyshire hills
and tourist attractions.
cream production is scheduled
for October. Then <strong>the</strong> creamery
will prepare for <strong>the</strong> Christmas
peak for standard fresh cream
when production is expected to
be 320 per cent higher than in a
normal week.
Best of France – straight
out of North Yorkshire
■ Arla’s crème fraîche is quickly proving a value added
success. The company became <strong>the</strong> first major UK
manufacturer of <strong>the</strong> classic French ingredient in April with
orders forTesco, followed by Asda. In September, Sainsbury’s
became <strong>the</strong> third major retailer customer for <strong>the</strong> product.
Production forecasts are almost double early expectations
while soured cream, introduced in March last year, is also
selling well. Annual combined sales are expected to reach
seven million litres this year.
Rachel Thomas, Arla’s senior retail brand manager, says
<strong>the</strong> healthy growth of <strong>the</strong> two products is demonstrated by
<strong>the</strong>ir 14 per cent, and growing, share of <strong>the</strong> cream category.
Both are made at Northallerton creamery following
investments of £700,000 in soured cream production and
£1m for crème fraîche, which is <strong>the</strong> French version of soured
cream and normally imported from Normandy.

Muck and money
Good slurry management is not just about <strong>the</strong> regulations...
What you do with your slurry has never been
so important.
The changes to rules on nitrate
vulnerable zones (NVZs), combined with
significant increases in fertiliser costs, mean that good
slurry management is essential, not only to comply
with regulations, but also to make a difference to farm
profitability.
Injection systems are claimed to bring major
advantages, including a 95 per cent retention of
slurry’s nitrogen content compared with a 90 per cent
loss into <strong>the</strong> atmosphere from surface spreading.
Research shows that slurry from an average size herd
is potentially worth thousands of pounds in terms of
nitrogen, potash and phosphate if injected.
One AFMP member who is proving that muck
and brass are inseparable is Peter Joules, who runs
PHR Farms, along with wife Hilary and son Rob,
at Ashford, Kent.
His Bircholt and Hope farms have a herd of 1,000
Friesian cows and 500 heifers between <strong>the</strong>m. Located
in an NVZ, <strong>the</strong>y have sandy soil, for which <strong>the</strong> slurryspreading
closed period is <strong>the</strong> five months between
October and February.
Weighing up <strong>the</strong> implications
“We have been looking very carefully at <strong>the</strong>
implications of <strong>the</strong> new NVZ rules for <strong>the</strong> working
practices on <strong>the</strong> farm, and what we do with our slurry
is obviously a key element,” says Peter.
The business has about four million gallons of slurry
stored in two lagoons, one holding about a million and
a half gallons, <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r about two and half million
gallons.
Until recently Peter had used contractors to inject
slurry on about 600 of his 1,500 acres, but with his
purchase of a full umbilical and slurry injector system
<strong>the</strong>y are no longer needed.
“We wanted <strong>the</strong> flexibility of having our own system
to inject slurry so we could inject <strong>the</strong> grazing fields
during <strong>the</strong> open period to improve <strong>the</strong> grass growth,
without interfering with <strong>the</strong> rotation.
“Changing to doing it ourselves has had nothing to
do with <strong>the</strong> contractor’s service. I think that <strong>the</strong>y will
All in <strong>the</strong> pipeline: Peter’s son Rob with <strong>the</strong> slurry injector system
4
struggle to cope with <strong>the</strong> increased demand and be
unable to be in six places at once. And <strong>the</strong>re are a
very limited number of contractors in <strong>the</strong> South East
offering <strong>the</strong>se services.”
The £26,000 purchase of a new five-metre
Spreadwise slurry injector and a second-hand
umbilical system, bought at a farm sale in Cheshire,
has been funded by <strong>the</strong> disposal of o<strong>the</strong>r machinery
surplus to requirements.
The umbilical system’s 1,200 metres of pipe runs out
radially from <strong>the</strong> centrally-located farm buildings
allowing <strong>the</strong> slurry to be pumped in every direction on
both farms.
Surprised by dry summer
But while <strong>the</strong>y have had <strong>the</strong> new injector for a number
of months <strong>the</strong>y have only just been able to start using
it because of <strong>the</strong> remarkably dry conditions, in contrast
to most of <strong>the</strong> country.
“Kent has been very dry this year, though some
people wouldn’t believe it, which has made <strong>the</strong> ground
too hard all summer to allow injection.”
Now that injecting has started, Peter thinks he will be
able to claw back his investment by saving between
two and three 30-tonne loads of nitrogen fertiliser over
<strong>the</strong> course of <strong>the</strong> next 12 to 18 months.
“With fertiliser costing about £400 a tonne, savings
will be easily achievable, hopefully enabling us to pay
back our investment over a short period.”
Saving money by directly replacing costly inorganic
fertilisers with slurry injection can turn a potential
problem into an asset.
And compared with traditional muck spreading it
doesn’t smell!
■ Martin Evans, who farms at Llangedwyn, mid-
Wales, is ano<strong>the</strong>r AFMP member using slurry
injection, and he is saving about £40 an acre in
fertiliser costs after having installed two slurry
injection systems.
The AFMP producer director said: “It is a more
efficient use of <strong>the</strong> nitrogen in <strong>the</strong> slurry, because
far less of <strong>the</strong> available nitrogen is used if it is
spread than if it is injected.”

The White Stuff talks to producer Andrew Morris
on his return to dairy farming after 15 years...
BACK
TO THE
START
Life has not only come full circle for
new AFMP member Andrew Morris,
but has also taken him from one end
of <strong>the</strong> country to <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r, and back
again.
Over <strong>the</strong> years Andrew has moved from a
dairy farm in Yorkshire to one in Cornwall,
where a milk processing enterprise led to a
desk job as a managing director, and now he
has returned to doing what he likes best and
is building up a new dairy herd in Yorkshire.
“It’s a steep learning curve but we’re
enjoying <strong>the</strong> challenge,” said Andrew who
with his wife, Judith, recently relocated to
225-acre Church House Farm, situated in
Danby Dale in <strong>the</strong> picturesque North York
Moors National Park a few miles from
Whitby. The previous owners took <strong>the</strong>ir cattle
with <strong>the</strong>m and Andrew initially intended to
5
start up a Jersey herd, only to find too few
cows were available. So since May he has
been buying both Jerseys and as an interim
measure Holstein Friesians. He now
employs a herdsman and a couple of
helpers and, like those popular TV
detectives, he is learning ‘new tricks’ every
day.
More paperwork
“Things have moved on in <strong>the</strong> last
10 to 15 years,” said Andrew. “It’s mainly on
<strong>the</strong> administration side, where <strong>the</strong>re’s more
paperwork. In terms of feeding, new and
different ideas have come in. Feeding dry
cows is much more precise. TMR rationing
is much more in vogue.
“Farm assurance is in greater depth than it
was. I like to think we always worked to high

‘I’m not saying its easy but it’s more
satisfying than working for somebody else’
welfare standards, but it’s more formalised
now. We’re using routine fortnightly vet visits
to keep us up-to-date with <strong>the</strong> latest
treatments and diet supplements. The vet’s
not coming to treat sick cows so much as
being a management aid to help us get back
into <strong>the</strong> swing of things.”
It was in 1985 that Andrew and his fa<strong>the</strong>r,
David, bought Newlands Farm on <strong>the</strong> edge
of Bodmin Moor in Cornwall where <strong>the</strong>
landscape and conditions were, as it
happens, very similar to those in Danby
Dale. They had about 200 Holstein Friesians
and also built up a processing and bottling
facility on <strong>the</strong> site for <strong>the</strong>ir own and o<strong>the</strong>r
farmers’ milk.
20 million litres a year
They sold <strong>the</strong> farm in 1995, ploughing <strong>the</strong>
proceeds into constructing a new dairy at
nearby Pensilva which kept <strong>the</strong> name,
Newlands Farm, and grew to handle
20 million litres a year and employed
100 workers. A few years later Andrew and
his fa<strong>the</strong>r were approached by Milk Link
which purchased <strong>the</strong> business in 2003.
They shared <strong>the</strong> proceeds, his fa<strong>the</strong>r retired
and continues living in Cornwall while
Andrew stayed on with <strong>the</strong> new owners. Milk
Link also bought a rival local company,
Peninsula Milk.
“It was a bit strange. I was <strong>the</strong> managing
director of two independent businesses in
<strong>the</strong> Milk Link group. Then Milk Link
restructured and sold <strong>the</strong> two businesses to
Wiseman in 2006. I stayed with Wiseman’s
Back in business: Andrew
and Judith with <strong>the</strong>ir Jerseys
doing much <strong>the</strong> same job, but working for a
large company wasn’t really my cup of tea,”
recalled Andrew.
“Judith and I started looking at doing
something again in our own right as a
farming business. We began searching for
farms last year and getting ourselves in a
position to sell our house.”
They bought Church House Farm with
its land, five-bed farmhouse dating back
to <strong>the</strong> 17th century and four cottages for
£1.5 million, aiming to develop a holiday
accommodation side to <strong>the</strong> business
involving <strong>the</strong> cottages and
bed and breakfast in <strong>the</strong> farmhouse.
Yorkshire-born Judith is overseeing this
with one of <strong>the</strong> cottages already renovated
and ready for letting.
Andrew is fully aware he is re-entering
milk production at a time when many dairy
farmers have quit.
“We had been doing our sums for some
time. It wouldn’t have made sense with <strong>the</strong>
milk prices being paid in 2006 or early 2007
but once prices moved up it became more
viable.”
With a half Jersey herd, he receives
payment for his milk’s higher butterfat
content, although Jerseys produce slightly
less milk than <strong>the</strong>ir black and white
companions. Current production equates to
an annual one million litres.
“I think Jerseys suit this area. They are
quite hardy and have good feet. They suit
<strong>the</strong> cubicle sizes here better,” added Andrew.
“As we change over to have only Jerseys,
6
we will be able to sign a Channel Island
contract with Arla and get a premium price
for our milk of 29.75ppl, which was one of
<strong>the</strong> reasons for choosing <strong>the</strong> Partnership.”
Thirty acres of his land standing 400ft
above sea level is given over to growing
spring barley, which Andrew cuts for whole
crop silage. He might increase <strong>the</strong> area next
year and he is also looking at adding ano<strong>the</strong>r
10 acres of woodland to an existing five
acres under <strong>the</strong> Forestry Commission’s
woodland grant scheme. The timber would
be used to fuel a ‘green’ <strong>energy</strong> plant heating
water for <strong>the</strong> properties and milking parlour.
Andrew explained: “We’re looking at <strong>the</strong>
farm as a springboard for our children, not
necessarily milking cows but taking on <strong>the</strong>
o<strong>the</strong>r sides of <strong>the</strong> business. If our son, who
is studying at <strong>the</strong> Harper Adams University
College, wants to do agricultural
engineering, we have a farm base for that.
Building a business
“I’m not saying this is easy but it’s more
satisfying than working for somebody else
which is hard when you have had your own
business and built that business up. This is
what we’ve done in <strong>the</strong> past, built up farms,
and this is ano<strong>the</strong>r opportunity to see what
we can make of <strong>the</strong> place.”
And as if life’s circle wasn’t already
complete, he recently made an uncanny
discovery. Although born in Lancashire, he
has ancestors on his mo<strong>the</strong>r’s side of <strong>the</strong>
family buried in <strong>the</strong> churchyard just across
his fields.

Step back in time gives
milking <strong>the</strong> human touch
Andrew Rees, an AFMP
member in Leicestershire,
really got to know his cows
when he used a 50-year-old,
six abreast milking bail for
six weeks.
The temporary measure on his
Gaulby Lodge Farm at King’s
Norton tided him over while his
new 12:24 Fullwood herringbone
was being installed.
Fullwood provided <strong>the</strong> bail, as
part of <strong>the</strong> £70,000 investment,
but milking took longer than <strong>the</strong>y
would have liked, around six
hours a day.
But <strong>the</strong>re was an unexpected
benefit for Andrew and his
fa<strong>the</strong>r, Ken, in spending
more time with <strong>the</strong>ir herd of
120 Holstein Friesians.
“The abreast parlour provided
such a personal touch with <strong>the</strong>
cows, which you don’t get with
modern parlours that do <strong>the</strong> job
much more quickly,” said Andrew.
“Our new parlour is superb.
It’s a slight worry that you don’t
get <strong>the</strong> opportunity to assess
<strong>the</strong>m properly during milking for
any problems or signs of
bullying, but <strong>the</strong> speed of <strong>the</strong>
new parlour gives us a lot more
time to check <strong>the</strong> cows
afterwards.”
After <strong>the</strong> former 15-year-old
herringbone parlour was taken
out, <strong>the</strong> herd adapted more
Bouncing rubber ball big enough for two
On some days <strong>the</strong> money just
rolls in for AFMP bro<strong>the</strong>rs
Andrew and Ross Guest.
One of <strong>the</strong> big attractions at
<strong>the</strong>ir Tump Farm at Sedbury is
‘sphere-mania’, which involves
two people sharing a £55 ride
down a 300-metre slope while
strapped inside a large rubber
ball.
“It’s perfectly safe and very
exhilarating,” says Andrew. “The
general reaction is for <strong>the</strong>m to
laugh hysterically as <strong>the</strong>y roll
and bounce down <strong>the</strong> hill at up
to 30mph!”
Sphere-ing, which is proving
a YouTube hit, is just one of <strong>the</strong>
activities available at <strong>the</strong>
Chepstow Outdoor Activity
Centre that Andrew runs with a
full-time operations manager.
‘It has been
remarkably
smooth and
<strong>the</strong>re have been
no milk quality
issues at all’
easily to <strong>the</strong> bail than <strong>the</strong>y could
have hoped for, although
Andrew and his fa<strong>the</strong>r planned
in advance to put only 90 cows
<strong>through</strong>, which <strong>the</strong> suppliers
said was still a large number for
Archery, clay pigeon shooting,
laser combat, quad bike racing,
off-road driving and paint balling
also take place.
Sphere-ing is wea<strong>the</strong>r
dependant and available on
weekends during <strong>the</strong> summer
months when up to 30 rides a
day take place. Many of <strong>the</strong>
visitors are given vouchers for
<strong>the</strong> ride, but <strong>the</strong>y must be under
15st and physically fit enough to
take <strong>the</strong>ir place in <strong>the</strong> ball.
The bro<strong>the</strong>rs have also
invested in <strong>the</strong>ir dairy herd after
taking over a neighbouring farm
last year to increase <strong>the</strong> acreage
from 300 to 500 and cow
numbers from 120 to 200. The
enlarged farm also supports a
beef business and arable crops
and is bouncing along nicely. Downhill from here: A visitor inside <strong>the</strong> rubber sphere
7
<strong>the</strong> equipment.
“We honestly thought we’d
have to manhandle each
cow to get <strong>the</strong>m <strong>through</strong> <strong>the</strong>
abreast unit, but in fact it has
been remarkably smooth and
<strong>the</strong>re have been no milk quality
issues at all,” Andrew
commented.
Today, <strong>the</strong> new 12:24
herringbone parlour, which
again <strong>the</strong> cows took to
straightaway, is a completely
new experience for <strong>the</strong> Rees
family and <strong>the</strong> benefits are very
clear to see.
“We now save at least
45 minutes at each milking
News
Old and new: Helping out in
<strong>the</strong> temporary parlour is Nick
Watson, above, and, left,
Andrew’s fa<strong>the</strong>r, Ken, in <strong>the</strong>
new one
<strong>through</strong> <strong>the</strong> new parlour
compared with <strong>the</strong> old one,
which means total savings of an
hour and a half every day or
10 hours a week worth of man
hours,” explained Andrew, who
supplies Arla with a million litres
a year.
“Our former parlour wasn’t
particularly old. We’ve invested
in <strong>the</strong> new one because it wasn’t
really suitable for <strong>the</strong> increased
size of <strong>the</strong> herd and also for
lifestyle reasons.
“You don’t want to be
spending <strong>the</strong> best part of six
hours a day down in a pit
milking <strong>the</strong> cows!”

Grants for a h
A mean green system is
being trialled which could cut
water heating costs by up to
70 per cent. The White Stuff
goes to North Yorkshire...
8
The chance to cut
electricity costs by
£4,500 a year is to be
offered to AFMP
members.
A renewable <strong>energy</strong> system,
recently installed on <strong>the</strong> North
Yorkshire farms of Mark
Fletcher and Geoff Spence in
a groundbreaking trial backed
by Arla Foods, can save up to
70 per cent on electricity used
for heating water.
The system combines solar
panels with a heat exchanger
and costs about £15,000 to
install.
Grants cut <strong>the</strong> cost
But <strong>the</strong> availability from January
of 40 per cent grant funding
<strong>through</strong> regional development
agencies, like Yorkshire
Forward, will reduce <strong>the</strong> price to
£9,000 and fur<strong>the</strong>r savings are
expected to accrue from a deal
Arla Foods is negotiating with
<strong>the</strong> manufacturer.
Graham Wilkinson, Arla’s
environmental agricultural
manager, says that <strong>the</strong>
combined system can benefit all
producers, adding: “However,
costs and savings will vary
according to <strong>the</strong> electricity tariff,
herd size, milking parlour
equipment, hot water
requirements, size of <strong>the</strong>
compressors and boilers, and
<strong>the</strong> type of water heaters. But it
is so good every dairy farmer
should have one.”

hot glass <strong>roof</strong>
A major advantage, says
Graham, is quick recovery of
capital costs with a payback
time of about two years for <strong>the</strong>
heat exchanger and two to two
and a half years for solar
panels.
“Grants will be available from
regional development agencies
all around <strong>the</strong> country,” he adds.
“But <strong>the</strong>y will require <strong>the</strong>
installation of both <strong>the</strong> heat
exchanger and solar panels.”
The first two installations, for
which <strong>the</strong> Partnership will track
performance, have been
developed with Hexham-based
Hadrian Farm Services.
Malcolm Archer, <strong>the</strong> firm’s
managing director, says:
“The system is not new
technology, it just hasn’t been
widely deployed before as it has
been relatively unknown.”
It functions by reclaiming
waste heat from <strong>the</strong> milk
refrigeration equipment using a
well-insulated heat exchanger.
This is combined with solar
panels to create two
complementary <strong>energy</strong> sources.
“As <strong>the</strong> majority of dairy farms
need to pay for electricity to
heat <strong>the</strong> water <strong>the</strong>y use for
cleaning purposes in <strong>the</strong> milking
parlour and <strong>the</strong> bulk milk tanks,
<strong>the</strong> system saves money by
providing hot water night and
day.”
Fitting on to existing
equipment, <strong>the</strong> heat exchanger
heats water during milking when
<strong>the</strong> parlour’s compressors are
running, with <strong>the</strong> solar panels
providing hot water <strong>the</strong> rest of
<strong>the</strong> time, even when <strong>the</strong> sun’s
not out.
Heat is on
AFMP member, Mark Fletcher,
who has 300 cows at
Woodhouse Farm, Little Ayton,
says: “The system can heat <strong>the</strong>
water to about 60C, which
means that we will never have
to start from cold and <strong>the</strong>
heating elements will only be
needed to take <strong>the</strong> temperature
up to 90C.
“Every little bit of saving
helps, including water for hand
washing, warming milk for <strong>the</strong>
calves, and <strong>the</strong> hose system for
<strong>the</strong> warm water wash. We also
expect to make savings
because <strong>the</strong> compressor motors
won’t be used as much.
Payback in two years
“We expect to make an <strong>energy</strong>
saving of about £380 a month,
or £4,500 annually, off an
annual bill of about £11,300,
equating to 0.45ppl in this case,
which means about two years to
pay back <strong>the</strong> cost.”
If this level of performance is
achievable, and Graham,
Malcolm and Mark all believe it
is, it could add up to 0.45p extra
margin to a litre of milk for a
dairy farmer producing a million
litres of milk a year.
“It may be too good to be true,
9
In <strong>the</strong> shades: Mark Fletcher, left, and Graham
Wilkinson with <strong>the</strong> new solar panels.
Pictured bottom left is Mark with <strong>the</strong> heat exchanger
‘We expect
to make an
<strong>energy</strong>
saving of
about £380
per month’ month
but we will soon be able to find
out, as it will only be a few
months before we can compare
a quarterly bill from <strong>the</strong> same
time last year with this year. At
that point we will be able to
quantify <strong>the</strong> system’s
performance and understand
<strong>the</strong> real benefits.”
An added incentive, if Mark
needed one, is that as well as
<strong>the</strong> Yorkshire Forward grant, <strong>the</strong>
remaining £9,000 capital outlay
can be covered by a nought per
cent finance scheme where <strong>the</strong>
monthly capital expenditure
payments are paid for by <strong>the</strong>
money saved from <strong>the</strong> reduced
electricity bill.
While Mark says he is all in
favour of <strong>the</strong> concept of
producing his own electricity,
and even selling any excess, he
stresses that <strong>the</strong> first step in
becoming a greener dairy
farmer is to keep electricity
consumption to a minimum.
“We have been reducing our
electricity requirements as much
as possible by using <strong>energy</strong>
efficient light bulbs and
introducing light sensors on <strong>the</strong>
cow sheds. We want to match
AFMP’s and Arla’s commitment
to reduce <strong>energy</strong> consumption
in <strong>the</strong> dairy industry, and work
towards <strong>the</strong> targets within
Defra’s Milk Roadmap.”
There is a similar positive
story at AFMP member Geoff
Spence’s farm at Brompton,
Northallerton, who supplies
3.5 million litres of milk a year
to Arla and conservatively
estimates an annual saving of
about £4,200 on his electricity
bill.
Good time to do it
“This has come at a good time
as I have just had to renegotiate
my electricity contract, which is
about £15,500 a year for <strong>the</strong>
next three and a half years.
“We estimate that <strong>the</strong> lifespan
of <strong>the</strong> system is about 10 years,
which brings a total saving of
£42,000 minus <strong>the</strong> initial capital
expenditure.
“That’s £33,000 for <strong>the</strong> farm
instead of E.ON’s shareholders.”
says Geoff.

Feed your cows a balanced diet to make <strong>the</strong> most of winter milk
production, says Tom Tolputt of <strong>the</strong> Farm Consultancy Group
Foraging
for more
profit
Food for thought: Tom Tolputt
with second cut silage
10
This is already a quite remarkable year for <strong>the</strong> dairy
industry for many reasons.
Record high prices for many inputs, very good levels
of grass growth, incredibly poor wea<strong>the</strong>r for harvest
and some of <strong>the</strong> lowest milk production figures for years have
lead to a feeling of uncertainty.
However, one certainty is that, with soya prices in <strong>the</strong> high
£200s, <strong>the</strong> focus must be on producing and utilising <strong>the</strong> best
quality forage.
In early June I did a series of talks in <strong>the</strong> south west for
AFMP members, discussing <strong>the</strong> best ways to use forage in <strong>the</strong>
dairy cow’s diet. Now, I’m looking how best to balance a diet
for winter milk production.
Clover in silage
Grass silage will have <strong>the</strong> largest bearing on your profitability
for most of <strong>the</strong> year. If you use a mixed forage system <strong>the</strong>n
you really must make <strong>the</strong> best and earliest silage that is
practical on your farm.
Single forage feeding systems can make silage slightly later,
while a high clover content will reduce <strong>the</strong> need for
supplemental calcium and can reduce <strong>the</strong> amount of fertiliser
used, especially later on in <strong>the</strong> season.
It is crucial that you analyse <strong>the</strong> forage to balance <strong>the</strong> diet
correctly for your herd, with your feed supplier or nutritionist
taking a forage sample at every change <strong>the</strong>n using <strong>the</strong>se
figures in <strong>the</strong> feed formulation while maintaining performance.
Every kilo of soya saved is money in your back pocket.
Crimped and caustic
The use of wholecrop wheat and barley will help <strong>the</strong>
constituents of <strong>the</strong> ration and feed intakes, adding more
buffer feeding options such as fermented starch. The
extra fibre of wholecrop would be a bonus if fed with
spring grass which can lead to a 0.25 per cent
increase in butterfat levels.
Cereals can be used in many forms in <strong>the</strong> diet.
Dry rolled is <strong>the</strong> most readily available and easiest to
use, but while it can be more acidogenic than o<strong>the</strong>r
forms, it works well with ei<strong>the</strong>r a total mixed ration or
parlour mix.
The interest in crimped grain has grown massively
this year due to <strong>the</strong> poor harvest conditions. The
grain is moist and conserved like a silage
and it is best fed as a top dress or in a
TMR, as it can gum up a parlour
feeder system. Caustic treatment
is becoming quite rare due to
health and safety legislation
requirements in terms of
handling and storage, but it
can be an excellent feed,
providing bypass <strong>energy</strong>
and rumen buffering
properties.
There may well be
crimped and caustic
grain available and if
this is <strong>the</strong> case, make
sure you buy <strong>the</strong> grain
on a dry matter basis,
avoiding any issues

Harvest time: Late cut of spring barley at Tom’s farm
‘The use of wholecrop wheat and
barley will help constituents of <strong>the</strong>
ration and feed intakes, along with
adding more buffer feeding options’
over low dry matter grain.
This year, with poor wea<strong>the</strong>r affecting <strong>the</strong> harvest, many
crops have suffered fungal growths. Black sooty looking
moulds should be avoided, but are not as bad as <strong>the</strong> green or
red moulds that I am seeing on unharvested crops. These
green and red moulds and fungal growths can cause toxin
formation even in a clamp situation. If you note that <strong>the</strong> cows
start to scour, show random heats or cast cuds after you
introduce wholecrops or a new source of grain into <strong>the</strong> diet,
it is <strong>the</strong>n crucial you test feedstuff for toxins.
Maize crops in danger
Farmers in <strong>the</strong> South have been growing maize silage and
maize grain for a number of years successfully, and maize for
silage is now grown all over <strong>the</strong> country. But this year <strong>the</strong>
quantity and quality of <strong>the</strong> maize crop is incredibly variable
with many crops looking like <strong>the</strong>y might fail, mainly due to <strong>the</strong>
poor wea<strong>the</strong>r.
Care will be needed when analysing your crop as I
anticipate <strong>the</strong>y could be low in starch this year, allowing for
fur<strong>the</strong>r use of cereals in <strong>the</strong> diet. Make sure that <strong>the</strong> sample
you take is representative of your crop or take samples
<strong>through</strong>out <strong>the</strong> season.
The use of ei<strong>the</strong>r good maize, wholecrop or pea silage will
help to reduce <strong>the</strong> <strong>energy</strong> concentrate to be fed. Maize grain is
an excellent feed, providing a very good <strong>energy</strong> source, but, if
buying crimped maize grain, again buy on a dry matter basis
or allow for <strong>the</strong> moisture content when agreeing a price.
■ If you wish to discuss any of <strong>the</strong>se points in greater detail or
want to find out where to send samples of feedstuffs for toxin
analysis, you can contact Tom Tolputt on 07976 185915
11
News
Members team up
with McDonald’s for
Dairy-Calf-Partnership
McDonald’s is teaming up with a group of AFMP members
in Staffordshire to develop ways of improving standards
on farm.
The Dairy-Calf-Partnership has started with a pilot scheme
involving four farms in <strong>the</strong> county and will look at a number of
initiatives, beginning with biosecurity standards and locomotion
training, to enhance <strong>the</strong> supply chain, that will also be beneficial
to <strong>the</strong> producers. These test farms were kitted out in September
with biosecurity equipment.
If successful, <strong>the</strong> plan is to roll out <strong>the</strong> scheme nationally and
explore some of <strong>the</strong> top issues in <strong>the</strong> industry and work out how
best to approach <strong>the</strong>m. Over <strong>the</strong> next 12 months <strong>the</strong> group will be
looking at a variety of subjects, such as sexed semen to try to
maximise dairy heifers, and increasing <strong>the</strong> number of black and
white calves used in <strong>the</strong> UK beef supply chain.
Colostrum and looking at its importance to calves by measuring
immunoglobulins will be ano<strong>the</strong>r area under trial.
The first biosecurity and locomotion producer-training event at
AFMP members Peter and Val Kenny’s Sandyford Farm, near
Stone, had biosecurity measures supplied by Ecolab, including
boot disinfection on arrival at farm, and hospital-style hand wash
dispensers where livestock was kept.
Nic Parsons, Arla Foods agricultural manager, who attended <strong>the</strong>
event, said: “Having good washing facilities is <strong>the</strong> best way of
keeping down contamination between animals and people. We
need to reduce <strong>the</strong> risks at all times and between all groups of
animals, which means having a system that is easy to use and
effective.”
Nic also stressed <strong>the</strong> importance of producers knowing how to
score properly for mobility, explaining: “The aim is to establish
how well <strong>the</strong> cows are walking and tackle <strong>the</strong> lameness issue by
scoring <strong>the</strong>m on a regular basis.”
The scheme, if successful, will work with milk suppliers that
provide milk for shakes and sundaes into McDonald’s and does
not include organic.
“It will be a two-way scheme to test out new ideas,” added Nic.
Walk this way: Farmers learning to mobility check cattle

Efficiency is paramount on a farm that works with nature...
Life on <strong>the</strong> Levels
Keeping one step ahead of <strong>the</strong>
game and looking at innovative
ways to improve his family’s
farming operation are central to
<strong>the</strong> business policy of AFMP member
Michael Churches, who faces <strong>the</strong> extra
challenge of being situated in <strong>the</strong>
environmentally sensitive Somerset Levels
and Moors.
His quest is to maintain a high level of
efficiency so that on a daily basis it takes
only one person to run <strong>the</strong> dairy operation,
which supplies 800,000 litres of milk a year
to Arla Foods, freeing up time for o<strong>the</strong>r
opportunities such as <strong>the</strong>ir road haulage
business.
Efficiencies a necessity
“Low prices have forced efficiencies on <strong>the</strong>
industry, but it’s a shame that so many
have paid <strong>the</strong> price by going out of
business,” says Michael, adding that he
believes in being as well prepared as
possible for whatever challenges <strong>the</strong>
industry brings.
But he admits <strong>the</strong>re is a touch of fortune,
as well as good management, in being
ready for <strong>the</strong> inexorable spread of nitrate
vulnerable zones, now within two miles of
<strong>the</strong> family’s Godney Farm, in <strong>the</strong> village of
<strong>the</strong> same name. As a result of heavy
investment during <strong>the</strong> 1990s, including
£75,000 on a new slurry tank at <strong>the</strong> start of
<strong>the</strong> decade and £50,000, at <strong>the</strong> end, to
double its size, <strong>the</strong>re will be no compliance
fears should <strong>the</strong> zone be extended.
“We needed to do it because <strong>the</strong> area is
so prone to flooding,” said Michael, who
took over <strong>the</strong> farm in 1998 when his fa<strong>the</strong>r,
Max, retired. “With <strong>the</strong> rapidly rising price of
concrete and aggregates it would be double
<strong>the</strong> price today. We gained a 40 per cent
grant for <strong>the</strong> original tank, but had to
entirely fund <strong>the</strong> extension ourselves.”
The concrete construction, with its
reinforced floor, is built into <strong>the</strong> side of
banking and can hold 4,800 tonnes of
slurry, or one and a half year’s worth.
Recent investments at Godney Farm
include £100,000 on new cubicles and
silage storage.
On a smaller scale, he is delighted at
Main picture: Michael on <strong>the</strong> war
timer bunker which now houses a
colony of bats
Left: With his herd of pure
British Friesians
12
having found a way to save on electricity
costs <strong>through</strong> linking an old ice bank milk
tank to a modern DX tank.
It chills water on <strong>the</strong> night-time electricity
tariff of 4.5p per kWh, compared with <strong>the</strong>
daytime 12.5p, to close to freezing point.
This allows <strong>the</strong> milk temperature to be
taken from 30C to 8C <strong>through</strong> <strong>the</strong> plate
cooler before <strong>the</strong> DX tank cools it fur<strong>the</strong>r to
3.5C, all achieved within 10 minutes of
milking.
“The ice is made between midnight and
7am and <strong>the</strong>re is enough for evening
milking as well, while <strong>the</strong> system has <strong>the</strong>
added benefit of helping with milk quality.
Every little helps
“The savings are only £75 a month, but
every little helps,” adds Michael, whose
next project could be drilling for water.

“There is plenty of it about on <strong>the</strong>
Somerset Levels although if we go too
deep we might hit salt water, which would
mean extra costs,” he cautions.
Being on <strong>the</strong> Levels offers challenges
and opportunities for a man who believes
farming should fit in with <strong>the</strong> nature, but
accepts that when money is short most
farmers will divert resources away from <strong>the</strong>
environment.
The area forms <strong>the</strong> largest lowland
grazing marsh system in Britain and,
according to Defra, <strong>the</strong> ecological interest
is principally associated with wet, often
species-rich, pastures and meadows,
which support over-wintering and breeding
birds.
Sustainable grazing
Restrictions at Godney Farm include
no ploughing, no spraying, limited use
of fertilisers and reduced stocking
density to avoid poaching or
overgrazing <strong>the</strong> land. However,
‘Low prices
have forced
efficiencies on
<strong>the</strong> industry, but
it’s a shame that
so many have
paid <strong>the</strong> price by
going out of
business’
<strong>the</strong> 350 cattle, including
130 British Friesians, beef and followers,
sustain <strong>the</strong> environment <strong>through</strong> grazing
and providing a life source for many insect
species.
Looking after <strong>the</strong> numerous ditches and
hedges on <strong>the</strong> 320 acres, to encourage
13
Left: Michael with farm assistant
Tim Vowles
Below: With daughter Rachel
and wife, Jenny
wildlife, is part of keeping a delicate
balance with nature. In giving a fur<strong>the</strong>r
helping hand to wildlife, houses for bats
have been established in two wartime
pillboxes. Two hundred and fifty willows,
which grow at 6ft a year and are pollarded
on a two-year rotation, are potentially a
renewable fuel source now that <strong>the</strong>ir
branches are no longer required as
thatched <strong>roof</strong> spars.
Environmental benefits
The farm benefits from an environmental
grant, but Michael believes <strong>the</strong>re is ‘no
symmetry’ in <strong>the</strong> way Defra supports <strong>the</strong>
landscape, pointing out that investors who
have bought land on <strong>the</strong> Levels are also
benefiting, even though <strong>the</strong>y’re not farming.
As a farmer who cannot stand by and
wait for land to appreciate, his response to
low milk prices was to diversify into road
haulage to supplement <strong>the</strong> farm’s income.
Michael and his wife Jenny employ a
farm assistant, Tim Vowles, and <strong>the</strong>ir son,
Andrew, is showing an interest, having just
started an agricultural course at Lackham
College.

In <strong>the</strong> hot seat...
Agricultural manager Simon Wi<strong>the</strong>rs
about life on and off <strong>the</strong> farm
What is <strong>the</strong> best part of your job?
Expanding my knowledge of <strong>the</strong>
dairy industry and retail marketplace,
while developing new relationships
between producers and retailers.
And <strong>the</strong> worst?
Contacting producers with bad news,
especially when it concerns ‘hot’ milk
supplied outside <strong>the</strong> temperature
specifications. That’s <strong>the</strong> bane of all
our lives.
Where were you born and what is
your earliest memory?
The Royal United Hospital at Bath and being in a pram at
my grandmo<strong>the</strong>r’s farm at nearby Kelston.
What is your happiest memory?
Sitting on a 1952 Fordson Super Major tractor with my
dad, when I was six years old.
Did you enjoy your schooldays?
Absolutely! I went to Kingswood School in Bath and loved
it, especially sport and particularly hockey and rugby.
When and where did you join Arla Foods?
I initially joined Express Dairies in 2001 as a farm auditor
working out of Staplemead creamery.
What is it like working with dairy farmers?
Very rewarding, especially when you make a positive
difference, but also very challenging.
Do <strong>the</strong> public appreciate farming enough and are you
worried about <strong>the</strong> future of rural Britain?
I am quite worried about <strong>the</strong> future of <strong>the</strong> rural fabric of
this country, which appears to be under huge stress. How
we limit that stress and educate <strong>the</strong> public about farming
and <strong>the</strong> role of <strong>the</strong> farmer is an ongoing process.
If you ruled <strong>the</strong> United Kingdom today what is <strong>the</strong> first
thing that you would do?
Reopen ei<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong> local pubs or local post offices as
<strong>the</strong>y’re both integral to rural communities. Their closure
sends out a chilling message.
Tell us about your family.
My wife, Kate, and I have two daughters, Jessica, who is
five, and three-year-old Harriet.
Do you have any special interests or hobbies?
I’m too decrepit to play hockey anymore, but amateur
dramatics is a passion, and I appear regularly in
pantomimes.
What are your musical tastes?
Wide and varied, from Elvis to <strong>the</strong> Sugarbabes.
Which is your favourite book and film?
Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks, and Four Weddings and a
Funeral.
Which is your favourite place away from home?
St Mawes, Cornwall, which is just awesome.
Which five people would you invite to your dream dinner
party?
My wife, Kate, Richard E. Grant, Kirsty Young, Nelson
Mandela and my lovely dad, John, who died 13 years
ago.
Do you have an unfulfilled personal ambition?
To develop my career by combining what I do at work
with travelling <strong>the</strong> world.
14
News
Dedicated help
for tenant farmers
Stephen Wyrill, an AFMP
member from Richmond,
North Yorkshire, is <strong>the</strong> new
vice chairman of <strong>the</strong> Tenant
Farmers Association.
As well as helping with
general farming issues, such as
foot and mouth disease, nitrate
vulnerable zones and
Bluetongue, <strong>the</strong> Reading-based
association focuses specifically
on agreements between
tenants and landlords.
“We can help smooth <strong>the</strong>
water should <strong>the</strong>re be any
contractual disagreements,”
says Stephen, who finds his
role a rewarding one.
Because of new regulations it
is also becoming a busier one
than many of his predecessors
in <strong>the</strong> 27-year-old association
experienced.
“The more regulation <strong>the</strong>re is
<strong>the</strong> more help farmers need
and <strong>the</strong> more members we
have,” said Stephen, whose
interest in <strong>the</strong> association grew
from his fa<strong>the</strong>r Kenneth’s
membership. After joining a
local committee, Stephen
progressed to regional
chairman for Yorkshire,
Northumberland and Durham
Rachel Goldie, <strong>the</strong> daughter of
Alan and Margaret Goldie,
Partnership members from
Northallerton, has won a
national award from Holstein
UK.
The 14-year-old won <strong>the</strong>
junior section of <strong>the</strong> stock
judging and linear assessment
competition, which tested
entrants on udder attachment,
teat placement, stature and feet
and legs.
“I have qualified from <strong>the</strong>
regional competitions before but
this is <strong>the</strong> first time I have
managed to win,” said Rachel,
who has been judging since she
was eight.
The competition, usually held
at <strong>the</strong> Royal Show, was moved
to Bridport, Dorset, because of
Bluetongue restrictions.
When Rachel is not busy with
her schoolwork, she helps out
on her family’s Manor House
Farm.
New vice chairman: AFMP
member Stephen Wyrill
before taking on his new
position.
“I do really enjoy getting to
know people and helping
<strong>the</strong>m,” he said.
Stephen’s priority, however,
remains <strong>the</strong> herd of 120 cows
on Leafes Farm, East Appleton,
which he runs with his fa<strong>the</strong>r
and bro<strong>the</strong>r, Graham.
Winning habit starts young
“I try to do as much as I can,
feeding calves, milking,
everything apart from driving
<strong>the</strong> tractor,” she said.

VET TALK
AFMP’s consultant vet
Peter Edmondson
says that a good
report on your milking
machine does not
always mean all is
well…
Avery frustrated
Yorkshire farmer with a
cell count problem
recently called me
because <strong>the</strong> count for his herd
of 250 was continuing to rise.
And this was after culling
20 cows, treating high cell
count cows, dipping <strong>the</strong>
clusters between each cow
and introducing pre-dipping.
He already knew that Staph
aureus was <strong>the</strong> culprit, as his
vet had organised bacteriology
testing of <strong>the</strong> problem cows,
but he was at his wits end and
didn’t know what to do next.
Staph aureus causes chronic
infections that have a very
poor response to treatment
because <strong>the</strong> bugs hide in
abscesses where antibiotics
cannot penetrate. These bugs
cause severe damage to <strong>the</strong>
milk producing tissue and live
only in <strong>the</strong> udder and teats.
They are spread from cow to
cow during milking, on hands,
liners and, if used, common
udder cloths.
Difficult to eliminate
Infection, which occurs
exclusively at milking and not
at pasture or in housing, leads
to <strong>the</strong> most difficult type of
mastitis to eliminate. But <strong>the</strong>
producer was doing almost
everything possible to tackle
<strong>the</strong> problem and <strong>the</strong>re was no
logical explanation for <strong>the</strong>
continued cell count rise.
When I visited <strong>the</strong> farm to
investigate <strong>the</strong> problem I
followed my normal practice of
having a detailed discussion
about <strong>the</strong> mastitis management
programme before checking
everything that could be <strong>the</strong>
cause of <strong>the</strong> problem.
The first thing I noticed in <strong>the</strong>
parlour was that <strong>the</strong> regulator
was leaking air into <strong>the</strong> system
intermittently. If <strong>the</strong> regulator is
not hissing it indicates a
problem or that <strong>the</strong>re is not
enough vacuum reserve.
Before milking, leaking air in
one milking unit dropped <strong>the</strong>
vacuum level by 2kPa, and
with two units it fell by 4kPa
and took a long time to
recover. This indicated a
significant problem with
vacuum reserve.
About 15 years ago <strong>the</strong>
15
‘The problem
with poor
reserve is
that cows
do not milk
out well’
vacuum line back to <strong>the</strong>
sanitary trap was increased in
size, but <strong>the</strong> vacuum lines to
<strong>the</strong> 10 jars were only one-inch
milk lines. During milking, <strong>the</strong>
regulator often shut off
completely for up to five
seconds. The machine test
report showed lots of vacuum
reserve and so <strong>the</strong> farmer
quite understandably assumed
<strong>the</strong> machine was fine.
The problem with poor
reserve is that cows do not
milk out well. We started
stripping cows after milking
and found many still had quite
a lot of milk. So not all <strong>the</strong>
bugs were being flushed out
from <strong>the</strong> cow at every milking,
leading to a cell count
increase.
The farmer accepted <strong>the</strong>re
could be no resolution to <strong>the</strong>
problem while <strong>the</strong> machine
was malfunctioning and that he
should try to bring forward his
plans for a new milking parlour
for which he had already
gained planning permission.
In <strong>the</strong> meantime, <strong>the</strong>re was
some fine-tuning to be done,
and <strong>the</strong>y were all small things
that could make a difference
for cows that were not milking
out properly. Fore-milking took
place just before <strong>the</strong> ACR unit
was attached and it took at
least a minute for <strong>the</strong> let-down
reflex to cut in. It was decided
to change <strong>the</strong> order so that
fore-milking was carried out
before pre-dipping to improve
let-down. This will speed up
milking and result in a better
milk-out, reducing <strong>the</strong> amount
of residual milk and lowering
cell count. Improvements
were made to <strong>the</strong> dry cow
treatments of problem cows
so that <strong>the</strong>re would be
maximum success.
Specific treatment
In our discussions, we were
very specific about which
high cell count cows would
be treated and <strong>the</strong> treatment
regime. We went <strong>through</strong> all
<strong>the</strong> problem cows looking at
<strong>the</strong>ir somatic cell count and
mastitis history for <strong>the</strong> past
two to three lactations and
made sound management
decisions. We dried off some
cows early and a couple were
converted into sucklers.
When <strong>the</strong> cows are in during
winter, we decided to split <strong>the</strong>
herd into two separate groups,
a healthy group and a high
cell count group, which was
always milked last.
This case study, of a farmer
who had tried everything,
highlights <strong>the</strong> importance of
going <strong>through</strong> all aspects of
mastitis control. It also
highlights that a good milking
machine test result does not
necessarily mean that <strong>the</strong>
machine cannot still affect
clinical mastitis or cell count.
Essential maintenance: Keep your parlour in tip-top condition

Scholarship winner discovers what a real drought is all about...
Feeling <strong>the</strong> heat
There has been constant
rain since Peter Smart
won an ASDA/Arla
dairy farmer scholarship
to find out about milk production
in a drought.
The irony is not lost on <strong>the</strong>
Oxfordshire AFMP member who
decided to visit Australia after
being awarded one of <strong>the</strong> two
ASDA/Arla dairy farmer
scholarships.
“After a very dry 2006 I
decided to see what we could
learn from <strong>the</strong> Aussies who
have lived with a deepening
drought for some years now,”
said Peter, who farms at Hook
Norton, near Banbury.
“Any points picked up would
be useful for British dairy
farmers, though hardly relevant
this summer or last, as it
happens. But we must be well
prepared.”
When, and if, hot dry
summers return to <strong>the</strong> UK, <strong>the</strong>
Oxfordshire AFMP member
intends to use <strong>the</strong> knowledge
acquired on his recent trip down
under so that he can cope with
<strong>the</strong> conditions better than in <strong>the</strong>
past.
Heat waves
Peter nearly went out of
business in <strong>the</strong> heat waves of
1975 and 1976 and his farm
has poor summer grass growth
most years.
Despite winning <strong>the</strong>
scholarship in 2007, Peter had
to delay his three-week trip,
which he planned with <strong>the</strong> help
of Australia Dairy Farmer
magazine, until this June
because of <strong>the</strong> foot and mouth
outbreak. Despite <strong>the</strong> UK’s
return to disease free status,
<strong>the</strong> Australian authorities were
taking no chances with farming
visitors and Peter and his wife,
Marlene, had to hand over <strong>the</strong>ir
shoes for disinfecting on arrival
at Melbourne.
What <strong>the</strong>y saw in three weeks
of visiting dairy farms in
Tasmania, Victoria and New
South Wales put British ideas of
drought into perspective.
Tasmanian farmers were
coping better with <strong>the</strong> ‘big dry’,
which started in 2003, than
mainland farmers, as <strong>the</strong>y were
helped by <strong>the</strong> island’s cooler
wea<strong>the</strong>r.
“There are sprinkler systems
and even large centre-pivot
irrigation equipment, <strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong>re
is <strong>the</strong> undulating topography,
which lends itself to <strong>the</strong> building
of dams to retain water in lakes
for use in dry times,” said Peter.
Winter grazing
“Although it was winter, cows
were grazing with a little hay or
silage and, as in <strong>the</strong> rest of
Australia, <strong>the</strong>re was little in <strong>the</strong>
way of cow housing, o<strong>the</strong>r than
for <strong>the</strong> calves. The fur<strong>the</strong>r south
one goes, one notices shelter
belts of conifers, especially in
‘Tassie’, where a very cold wind
can blow from Antarctic
regions.”
Back on <strong>the</strong> mainland, <strong>the</strong>y
witnessed <strong>the</strong> severe problems
afflicting <strong>the</strong> massive Murray-
Darling river basin, Australia’s
main dairy farming and
agricultural area, which provides
41 per cent of all commercial
cropping, but has dwindling
Australian experience:
Peter Smart
water resources.
“Water for irrigation has been
seen as a birthright since <strong>the</strong>
Great War, but <strong>the</strong> quota has
been reduced for <strong>the</strong> last two
years and some farmers have
sold <strong>the</strong>irs and been left with
worthless land,” Peter explained.
“The government has
launched a new initiative to
cope with <strong>the</strong> severe drop in
river levels which will share
water equally between farming,
<strong>the</strong> environment and <strong>the</strong> cities.”
Ano<strong>the</strong>r sign of <strong>the</strong> times was
<strong>the</strong> current practice of planting
cereals in dry seedbeds, in <strong>the</strong>
hope of rain, instead of <strong>the</strong>
traditional practice of waiting for
a ‘planting rain’.
“Wheat is used on quite a
large scale as grazing or
‘wheaten hay’, or as wholecrop
silage cut at <strong>the</strong> milky stage.
Some of <strong>the</strong> paddocks are sown
to stubble turnips ra<strong>the</strong>r than
relying on perennials, which
tend to dormancy in dry times.
“Choosing suitable crops and
regarding water as a precious
resource, which means storing
as much as possible, are
important factors in countering
drought. When farms go up for
sale buyers want to know <strong>the</strong>
rainfall statistics. One in inland
New South Wales advertised
11 inches a year while on <strong>the</strong>
coast <strong>the</strong> figure was 60 inches.
“Murray-Darling is a superb
farming area with deep alluvial
soils, provided it gets <strong>the</strong> water
it needs.”
Peter said that Australians
were supportive of <strong>the</strong> dairy
industry.
“Tasmanian government
banks were very pro-dairy,
encouraging expansion and
modernisation on favourable
terms, especially as <strong>the</strong>
milk price is up to between
21ppl and 25ppl.
Dairy country
“In Victoria, we visited
Shepparton, a dairy area if ever
I saw one. Farm after farm was
dairy, mostly large herds,
though one farmer had
downsized from 120 cows to 35
to pursue his obsession to
make <strong>the</strong> best Brie in Australia.
“Here and in nearby
Moonroopa <strong>the</strong>re are a number
of brightly coloured cow statues
in local parks, such is <strong>the</strong> high
esteem in which <strong>the</strong> industry is
held.”
But drought remains a major
worry.
“While it won’t happen on <strong>the</strong>
Australian scale in <strong>the</strong> UK, we
still need to treasure our water
resources and find cost effective
ways of harnessing <strong>the</strong>m for our
farms,” Peter added.
‘Choosing suitable crops and regarding water as a
precious resource, which means storing as much as
possible, are important factors in countering drought’
Arla Foods Milk Partnership
Arla House, 4 Savannah Way,
Leeds Valley Park, Leeds LS10 1AB
Tel: 0113 382 7125
www.afmp.co.uk
The White Stuff contacts:
MAPA – Tel: 01482 589900
Julia Dennison at Arla Foods – Tel: 0113 382 7272