Few farmers, if any, are able to make a return on their investment to bolster their way of life let alone the local economy, but a new project aimed at improving the performance of the dairy cow by concentrating on female genetics looks set to make the first step to reversing this worrying trend.

Speaking at the Future Farming Scotland Conference in Dundee, organised by Soil Association Scotland, Rory Christie, of Dourie Farming Company, Port William, told delegates he hoped to see a project in place within a year that long-term would help bolster the extremely variable milk solids of cows by concentrating on breeding only from top performing females.

"We need to change our mindset as farmers and part of the rural community if we are to improve nett returns. We have to have a self-help attitude and approach problems with an open mind rather than hang about waiting for government hand-outs," said Mr Christie who in a bid to reduce the amount of debt from his 1500-cow mixed dairy herd, slashed input and variable costs and looked to increase milk solids by switching from twice to once a day milking.

"In 2015, we were running a 1500-cow low input, low output grass-based New Zealand-type system which required huge investment in field roads, fencing and water, whereby our cows were producing a rolling average of 4250litres through a rotary parlour on a twice daily milking system with eight full time members of staff.

"I'd start work at 3am and finish at 10pm if I was lucky, which we soon realised was unsustainable so we switched to once a day milking and cut staff numbers in half and herd averages have slipped to 2800litres, which is almost fine when the milk price is 30p per litre plus, but a disaster when it falls to 16.5p as it did in 2016."

Milk yields have nevertheless slipped further, although Rory still has cows that are producing higher yields and more importantly milk with higher milk solids which he is looking to capitalise on.

He added: "The difference between the best and the worst cows is enormous and the problem remains that we are still not consistently creating enough profit to service debt, invest in property improvements, be in a position to buy our rented land or cope with the challenges of volatile markets and the likely removal of CAP support."

It was with that in mind that Rory who farms in partnership with his brother Gregor, looked to the Rural Innovation Support Service (RISS) to establish a new breeding programme to target dam genetics which will lead to trialling the best reproductive females from his herd and from two others to include Graham Armstong's Kirvennie unit and Charlie Russell, Glenapp Estate.

At present, the 1300 cows at Dourie average 280kg of milk solids per year while the top 10% in the herd level at 470kg. And, with every 50kg of milk solids producing an additional £175 per cow, or £227,000 across the entire 1300-cow herd, there are huge benefits to be had concentrating on breeding from the top 10%

With the SRUC's top dairy geneticist Mike Coffey on board to identify the top performing animals in the herd and then flush them, Rory now hopes to be able to produce a more efficient, productive herd of cows quicker than relying solely on semen from the top AI bulls.

"We are looking to identify the cows that live and thrive on the system here which revolves solely around grass with no bought in feed, but also have good fertility, longevity, health and good production figures," said Rory who is aiming to breed cows with higher milk solids, producing on average 3000litres per year and last for up to 10 years.