Dairy and beef herd

Cows and heifers are artificially inseminated by farm staff. The bulls are selected to achieve the greatest possible genetic improvement. Our own Simmental bulls are used to cover any cows not in calf over the summer period. The herd is milked twice a day through a Fullwood Index 20/20 90 Rapid Exit parlour. The cubicle house, with room for 220 cows, is arranged so that the cows may be grouped according to stage of lactation.

The College owns 1,465,281 litres of wholesale milk quota at 4.02% butterfat. Milk is marketed to Dairy Crest and collected daily from the 6,000 litre bulk tank. The herd is milk recorded each month by NMR. This Jersey herd is the only Jersey Herd in the country present at an educational facility. The herd has six fresh calvers and two heifers, one of which calved in November - seeing the start of a new herd at the College.

The Jerseys will be trialled against the Holsteins for fertility, feet and milk, in turn giving the students the opportunity to compare the breeds for their studies.

Beef herd

The first Simmental cows were purchased in December 1991.

Pedigree cows have been added to the herd to improve the genetic base. The aim is to maintain the herd at 30 cows. Calving is from February to April and with calves being weaned in October when they are brought in from grass and housed for the winter.

The top quality cows are served by AI, using good quality Simmental Bulls. The lower grade cows are served by our own pedigree bull. Bull calves are registered with the Simmental Society and sold to dairy and commercial beef farms. Heifer calves are registered and kept as herd replacements or sold at breed society sales or direct to other pedigree herds.

Any calves not making the grade are used as beef animals, slaughtered at a local abattoir and sold to direct food establishments. The beef production is farm assured by Farm Assured British Beef and Lamb FABBL.