New C Series - Valtra

Flexibility is key to suc
Growing up on a small family farm with
a hand ful of cows and a small fl ock of
sheep provided a reasonable income
for the family, but Tony Dallyn had to
leave home to start work.; There was
insuffi cient income to provide his father
Dick and Tony with a wage.
Today, Collacott Farm, between Barnstaple
and Ilfracombe, extends to 800 acres, half
owned and half tenanted, and Tony’s For-
tuna herd has grown to 420 cows plus fol-
lowers. Despite the increase in farm size and
stock number, Collacott remains a family farm
run by Tony. The only full time employee is
Good husbandry and fl exibility are the key to success.
28
Martin Barrow, and additional help with the
younger calves comes from Tony’s wife, Jo,
while father Dick helps out with odd jobs.
However, not that long ago the herd num-
bered under 200 and cereals were amongst
farm outputs. What happened to precipitate
this increase in stock numbers?
“The farm needed a new parlour so we
looked at fi gures and options and decided a
40 point rotary, plus an increase in herd size
to 300, was the best overall option for the
farm,” Tony explains. “A year or two later, with
quota prices on the fl oor, I made the decision
to spread the investment in the parlour over a
larger number of cows, purchased more quota,
increased cow numbers and milk output, while
decreasing cereal production.”
Was that the right decision?
– At the time, yes, is the reply. Hindsight is a
wonderful thing, but I don’t think we’ve been
too far adrift in our thinking.
– We supply the liquid market and get a
volume bonus, and with year-round calving we
also get a second bonus for constant year-
round production, Tony explains.
To help achieve this output milking, which
takes a couple of hours, commences at 5.30
morning and evening. Cows are fed a TMR to
28 litres and concentrate in the parlour accord-