RYDALE COMPLETES SIX
GENERATIONS AT RYDINGS
Whilst travelling through the South West,
who is responsible for what!
80 cows and 80 followers in
Alison Maddrell stopped in at the small herd of
total are now run on 200 acres.
Older cows are sired by Mendip
HYB member Andy Clements’ Rydale Holsteins
Cheiftain, Lee, Jordan, Sinatra,
Outside and Alanta Tasty and
kept amongst his parents’ Rybrook herd
Superb (full brothers from Mr
c
Sam’s family by Delta Webster),
urrently studying Rural Land Management (RICS) at the Royal Agricul-
whilst in-calf heifers are largely
tural College, Cirencester and writing his final year dissertation on the
by September Storm, Talent and
marketing of pedigree Holsteins, Andy is one of the next generation hoping
Shottle. Many of the younger
to continue the breeding policies of those who have gone before him. He is
calves are by Jobert, Matson as
hoping to embark on a career as a Chartered Surveyor with auctioneer work,
well as a stock bull Willowvale
whilst maintaining and developing interesting bloodlines within the small
Shotgun by Shottle. Tasty, Superb
family herd. This may sound challenging, but it is by no means unprecedent-
and Shotgun are all higher
ed at Rydings Farm. Father Marshall Clements, whilst managing the farm
indexing young bulls and this
for the last 25 years, combines this with full-time work with the National
was an attraction when it came
Proficiency Tests Council (NPTC) which provides land-based qualifications
to selecting which bulls to run
and has just concluded his time as National Council Chairman for Milk Link.
with heifers. Other selection
Daily chores are down to Marshall and full-time herdsman and enthusiastic
criteria include a Type Merit
new recruit to the industry Matt Vyse, who came to Rydings Farm as a school
over 2, a balanced proof, sloping
leaver through the Job Centre referral scheme, although nutritional and
pins and positive percentages
breeding decisions are made by Andy and Marshall.
– the Clements’ contract with
Andy will be the sixth generation to take on the land at Wrington, just
Milk Link is constituent based.
outside Bristol, via his fathers’ family. Marshall’s grandfather had Shorthorns
Cows are not pushed although
until he graded up and began registering in the 1920’s. Ill health meant that
a balanced diet of grass silage,
the cows were sold in 1968, and in 1969 the yard was sold for development
maize (clamped together) with
although the bulk of the land was retained and a new hardstanding with
various additions of barley, peas,
buildings constructed at the centre. Marshall, his brother Michael and their
lupins, wholecrop and molasses
father managed two milk rounds with milk bought in from Bristol Dairies
fed in the winter with grazing
so when Marshall and Anna were married, the aim was to resume milking
through the summer and the
at Rydings Farm. This was not totally straightforward however, as they had
current average sits at 6,882kgs
missed out on quota allocation. Marshall’s determination to overcome this
at 3.99%BF and 3.23%P.
problem led to the recruitment of ADAS, and their subsequent report on the
Another more recent
business resulted in a successful application for quota. 10 heifers were sourced
management decision was to use
from Stokecastle, pedigree heifers came from Washers in Taunton with 23
Igenity genetic testing to identify
commercial from Mr Brake, Nailsea, completing the new intake. The original
those individuals more likely
Rydings prefix was re-established, reflecting the partnership in place, but
to fill the criteria required on a
when Marshall and Anna succeeded their parents, Rybrook was also created.
solid based milk contract and a
Andy is now introducing his own Rydale prefix to the mix, so it is always clear
number of the more interesting
families have been analysed.
36 THE JOURNAL FEBRUARY 2010
e1-10 Rydale.indd 2 28/01/2010 12:44:08
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