Sky rocketing costs of production have led to many having to look at all inputs, and where better to start than at Upper Locharwoods, Dumfries, home of Holstein UK president, John Jamieson, his wife Helen and son Graham who have been farming organically for the past 23 years.
The family who are hosting a farm visit on June 29, as part of the Holstein UK Celebration and AGM, alongside three other noted dairy farms, operate one of the most progressive units in the country and one which boasts rolling average milk yields well in excess of 10,000 litres at 4.22%BF and 3.02%P, on a mostly forage-based ration.
It's a big year for the family who are not only celebrating John's position as president, but also 40 years breeding Holsteins, and 70 years farming at Upper Locharwoods, with the Jamieson family originating from Roundbush farm, Annan
Initially, John's father, also John, was a well-known Ayrshire breeder and former Ayrshire Cattle Society president, but after spending a summer working with some of the top Holstein herds in Canada, John convinced his father to establish a pedigree Holstein herd in 1982, under the Firth prefix.
With the aim to retain many of the strong Ayrshire cow families, grading up the herd was the first step and later new bloodlines were established from sourcing several embryos from Canada. Individual calves and heifers from some of the top cow families in Canada and America were also purchased. With the best of those being Roybrook Vale, Joylan Jed Gloriette, Belfast Astre Camara and Sterndale Ruby Tuesday and Copywood Lee I Sara.
Progeny went on to make their mark both at local and national events too, taking championship honours at the Highland, Agriscot, and the National Holstein Show and reserve at the Great Yorkshire. But instead of chasing the rollercoaster ride of the show ring, the business switched to a more sustainable option in the late 1990s going down the organic route with reduced carbon emissions as a result.
Cows are milked at 12 hour intervals, through a newly installed 40point GEA parlour – believed to be the first in Scotland – with organic concentrates totalling 2tonnes per cow, fed according to yield.
Hence, the Jamieson’s strive to produce as much of the white stuff as possible from home-grown feeds, which with better quality and a variety of forages, enables in excess of 4000 litres to be produced from forage. Purchased feed costs total 11.8p per litre against a healthy organic ex-farm milk price of 54p from July 1, through Muller.
"By growing better quality silage and topping up the high yielders, we have been able to keep our milk yields up and margins have improved year on year," said John.
"We were never heavy feeders of concentrates before we went organic, and conversion was one way of adding value to our product, although it does take a different mindset. A lot of it is down to better soil management. Look after the soil and the soil looks after the plants which enables stronger root development.
"We took five years to convert, but we're not really doing anything different compared to what we used to do before the introduction of artificial fertilisers," he said organic conversion takes time for the soil and the stock to evolve into the new system
"Our cows have changed over the years and are more suited to a forage-based ration. You can't use routine drugs or feed any by products with organic farming and you can't get cattle in the same show condition on a high forage diet, but you can still breed good strong functional, milky cows, farming organically," John said pointing out that the Firth herd is home to 34 Excellent classified females.
Now, the team at Upper Locharwoods concentrate more on soil health and rotations with clover key to adding nitrogen. Grass/silage fields are reseeded every five to seven years with a mixture containing up to 3kg red clover, 0.5kg of white clover and various ryegrasses.
Fields are analysed on a regular basis to ensure pHs as near 6.2 as possible to maximise clover growth, with rotations based on two years of cereals, followed with clover rich grass swards.
Good yields can still be achieved on organic units with the farm taking four cuts, however, they are aiming for five following the construction of a new 1 million gallon slurry store complete with electric agitator to help utilise this valuable asset.
This means there is ample storage for more than 6 months of slurry from the 240-cow herd, which can be spread after every cut of silage via the umbilical cord and new dribble bar.
The Jamieson’s also practice a paddock grazing system which ensures better utilisation of grass with a 22-day rotation. However, John is the first to admit, it is a challenge feeding high yielding cows producing 40-50 litres of milk on a grass based diet.
While all cows are out at grass during the summer, high yielders have access to a total mixed ration comprising 3kg of an organic protein mix; 3kg of home-grown cereals and silage which is fed for maintenance plus 27 litres.
Mid lactation cows are paddock grazed and topped up with concentrates in the parlour with dry cows on a high fibre diet of hay and haylage for six weeks pre calving before going on to the high yielding TMR 10 days before calving.
With cow comfort also a key factor in high milk yields and herd health, Upper Locharwoods boasts five-star accommodation for both adult and youngstock. Several new buildings have been built over the years, with the latest, a 180 cow, shallow, sand bedded cubicle shed. This design has the benefits of sand beds with under a tonne of sand used per cow, per year.
Fresh cows are housed in plastic cubicles with sawdust bedded mattresses providing the ultimate in cow comfort with extra lunge space.
Such is the team's enthusiasm for construction that they did the bulk of the building work for the new 40point GEA T8900 rotary parlour, which replaced a 20:20 Westfalia. However, in doing so, they had to build a temporary parlour first, while the new rotary was installed.
GEA's most advanced carousel system, the T8900 allows farmers to streamline procedures saving valuable time. Milking stall occupancy, animal data and current milking results are available for the milker at a glance on the touchscreen. ID systems recognize the cow when it walks onto the platform, making it easier to manage and monitor individual cows, with automated segregation gates enabling animals to be separated from the main herd.
There are no retention bars. Instead, if a cow takes longer to milk than a full rotation, it will simply stop until that animal has finished milking before letting her exit. This feature has shown to increase cow flow.
Innovative features of the parlour include stainless steel pipework throughout, rubber coated sloped deck falling away from the operator to a central drain. A generously sized splash shield protects the milking technology and the interior from sprayed liquids. After automatic cluster removal, automated cluster wash prepares the unit for the next cow, while a water jet sprays the feet of the cattle and keeps the platform clean.
The GEA rotary washes automatically and circulates at the end of the milking, with all of the water harvested and recycled to flush the collecting yard. Hot water is generated from a 200-kw biomass boiler and 50 kw solar panels that supply the dairy units needs, providing huge savings.
New born calves have the best of accommodation too, with individual huts housing the calves until six weeks of age. With the addition of calf jackets when it is particularly cold, it has led to cases of pneumonia being almost non-existent.
Calves are fed cow colostrum which is pre-tested to ensure it is of good quality for the first 24 hours before going onto cows' milk which is pasteurised on farm. All milk is fed via individual feeders twice a day, and when finished, are topped up with luke warm water.
At six weeks of age, they go into group huts of five, until weaning at 12 weeks.
Replacement heifers run with an Aberdeen-Angus bull from 14 months of age to ensure easy calving at 24 months. All cows are AI'd with sexed semen from a selection of genomic and proven bulls from 55 days post calving after which beef semen is used, with resulting bull calves and beef bred calves sold privately.
By selecting sires for functionality, locomotion, rump structure and good udders the cows are averaging more than three lactations with 15-20% of the herd in the fourth/fifth lactation.
Conversion to organic might not suit every farm, but it has been a win, win scenario for the Jamieson’s who although are fortunate to live in one of the best dairy farming areas of Scotland, also have the ability to work the land to their advantage.
"There are no real problems in dairy farming only challenges which the industry can address. The Holstein cow is a better animal now that she ever was with the national herd being more uniform and fit for purpose. Herds are more efficient and cows are not as big as they were being of more average stature with better rump structure. The UK cow ticks most of the boxes, being easier to manage and reproduce which is crucial due to the shortage of staff within the dairy industry," concluded John.
* The Holstein UK Celebration and AGM, takes place on Tuesday and Wednesday, June 28 and 29, with herd visits to East Logan and Ernespie, Castle Douglas and SRUC's Crichton Royal Farm at Dumfries on the first day. The second day features visits to Errolston and concludes at Upper Locharwoods. The visits each day start at 10 am and 1 pm.
FARM facts:
Family business: John and Helen, son Graham
Farm: Totals 680 organic acres, 30ft above sea-level, just off the Solway coast; with the majority of the ground being ploughable with the exception of 90acres of peat ground from which hay is grown for dry cows. Some 135acres of cereals are grown to include spring barley, triticale producing yields of 2.5t/acre.
Stock: 240 milking cows plus youngstock. Herd average 10,494litres, 4.22, 3.02 with 419 day calving interval,
Diversification: Solar panels, biomass boiler and three barn conversions built as holiday lets within a courtyard development, expected to be complete by January 2023.
ON THE spot:
Biggest achievement? Winning the Holstein Show in 1995
Best Holstein cow you've ever seen or bred? Decrausaz Iron O’Kalibra Ex97
Best on-farm investment? GEA 40 point rotary parlour
Where do you want to be in 10 years time? Still enjoying life!!
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