£3m Shropshire farm scheme in bid to boost profits
A farmer from north Shropshire has unveiled plans for a £3 million farm with more than 1,000 cattle in a bid to boost profits as the dairy crisis continues.
While some dairy farmers admit to being forced out of the industry because of the row over milk prices, James Thompson is looking to create a dairy farm with 1,200 cows.
The 37-year-old, of the Sansaw Estate, in Hadnall, near Wem, is looking to replicate the New Zealand system of dairy farming in order to compete in global dairy markets.
He said the format was a low-cost system based on grazed pasture with very limited use of supplementary feeds.
He said the farm would feature three herds of 400 cows and would aim to produce about 4,500 litres of milk from each cow every year.
The scheme, which is due to be ready by February, also includes creating a new milking parlour and feeding area on the estate.
Mr Thompson, who has been in charge of the farm since 2008, said: “We originally focused on organic and arable farming and came up with this idea to best utilise the land.
“It is the New Zealand system of dairy farming where you utilise grass for milk production. We have got 550 hectares available for grass and it is cheaper to grow in north Shropshire.
“I wouldn’t be going for the project if I didn’t think it would work. We have to be able to weather the ups and the downs.”
Mr Thompson didn’t believe the system would suit everybody.
The news comes as MP for North Shropshire, Owen Paterson said Britain should get behind British farmers in the same way people got behind Team GB at the Olympics. The new Environment Secretary called for more support for rural industries in a speech to the Conservative Party Conference on Tuesday.
By James Pugh
Comments for: "£3m Shropshire farm scheme in bid to boost profits"
kyle brennan
I am a NZ Dairy farmer who has spent a couple of years working on farms in the UK and had a great time........be it 10years ago. I wish this guy well in his endeavour and surprised why more UK farmers havn't adopted a more pasture based diet for their cows. From my experience I don't think the weather that we get in NZ is that much different than the UK.....Summer droughts do occur here from time to time and the winters can be cool and wet with very little grass growth. Once you start putting cows in barns and having to bring the food to them and then remove the effluent it is such a massive part of your day and costs.
For 9 months of the year our cows head off to their paddock of grass after the morning milking and then I go and fetch them again in the afternoon. During the remaining winter months they are not milking but still outside and supplemented with fodder crops and grass silage in preperation for spring calving. A lot of emphasis is put on pasture management and getting the paddock rotation speed correct. I know it almost sounds too simple but it works. We can produce a kg of milksolids for $3 and we have currently have a reduced forecast milkprice of $5.50/kg MS.
While there are a few large farms around us we only have a herd of 220 on 90 hectare producing a modest 380kgMS/cow in UK terms......the point being if you can keep your costs down you don't need to be milking 1000 cows to make it work. For example ......I have one tractor that does everything and no other staff. I don't need them except when we go on holiday.
NZ dairy farming is built on grass and the day we forget that we are down the gurgler!
All the best for the season.
Kyle Brennan
Reporoa
New Zealand