‘
My goal is set to breed a balanced and profitable herd of cows. Ideally I’d like to have the opportunity to show, but ultimately in 10 years time I would like the herd to be recognised within the breed
ABOVE Recently served heifers that will calve at two years old.
LEFT The cubicle shed that has recently been put up to house 150 cows.
BELOW LEFT France Farm is set in the rolling hills of North Devon near Cullompton.
BELOW RIGHT Olly enjoys watching heifers grow and mature.
year we had one score Excellent for the second time, two new Excellents and 15 score Very Good, including two heifers.”
The 300-acre farm is based in the rolling valleys of North Devon growing 60 acres of maize, 110 acres of first cut silage with a further two cuts taken, 10 acres are put down to a whole-crop mix of peas and barley undersown with ryegrass. The rest of the land is too steep and is grazed by young stock as well as five suckler cows and 100 Suffolk ewes.
Cows are fed on a diet recommended by nutritionist Douglas Green with a winter ration of 22kg maize, 12kg grass silage, 3kg hay, 6kg blend at 38%, 3kg oats and minerals with a top up of 6kg in the parlour. The summer ration differs slightly with 20kg grass silage, 7kg maize, 2kg hay, 800g straw, 4kg oats, 4kg blend at 27%, 100g urea, 100g minerals and a buffer. During the summer cows graze out during the day and are in at night, ideally Olly would like to keep them in all the time to be in 100% control of their diet. At only 24 years old Olly does regret not having gone travelling to Canada or America, believing that farms over there are much more advanced than
the UK. “However, I am now so heavily involved in the farm that I don’t currently have the opportunity to travel. I did enjoy a trip to the Royal Winter Fair in 2008, the quality of the cows was out of this world.” Away from the farm Olly is outgoing, fun loving and the life of the party. “I’m sure some readers will recognise me from my appearance on Take Me Out. My sister entered me for the programme, so I took part for the fun of it. I made a few friends through the programme, although not all of the attention after the programme was welcome.”
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FARM FACTS 130 cows
Focus on functional cows
300-acres grass, maize and whole-crop
Cows housed at night all year round
Six EX, 41 VG and 45 GP
36 THE JOURNAL DECEMBER 2014
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