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Low yielders are milked three times a day through the parlour which still has at least 10 years left.


nice lines in the herd. We want to put our own stamp on our cow families because that’s what we believe will be the way to take our herd forward. We are also mindful of creating outcross lines because I think they will be what the market will demand in the not too distant future, particularly when it comes to breeding bulls.” says James.


Looking back the Stewarts highlight Principal and Shottle as bulls which have worked well in the herd. Ballinaskeagh Principal Nancy is the oldest cow in the herd and also the highest classified at EX93. She is regarded by the family as a phenomenal cow having completed 10 lactations but still looking youthful.


She calved in to her 10th lactation with twins, but cleansed within hours and is back in-calf to Corinthian due in February with her 11th. “This is the kind of cow we aim to breed. We are finding she is transmitting her quality strongly through her progeny with VG two year old granddaughters and great granddaughters. The family’s development was slowed with two daughters lost to TB before realising their full potential. Recently a calf from the family was born on the farm and was the sixth generation


down the line from Principal Nancy – highlighting longevity and fertility in the family.” James also likes the Tennyson daughters. “They are cows with good production and udders and develop nicely over time, they fit our system well. Our Garret progeny are showing a good balance in production, fertility and type. Generally we feel Oman sons have worked well in the herd.”


Third calved Ballinaskeagh Garrett Glitter is another herd favourite, classified VG89 as a third calver and is projected to give more than 15,000kg. She is backed by three generations of VG and EX and is quick to get back in-calf and works well in the robotic system. James’ favourite is Ballinaskeagh Design Agatha EX91, a fourth calver that is out of an EX93 scored Dutch bred dam, with herd classification totalling 18 EX, 68 VG and 18 VG heifers in the herd. “The herd is averaging 9500kg at 4.07%bf and 3.26%p and now the herd is open I’m keen to develop home grown families and grow the business through livestock sales.”


Jim adds: “The business has been under a lot of pressure, as well as investing a lot of money, having restrictions on selling cattle and a base milk price of


17.5p have all created a strain. Looking forward we hope to start selling surplus heifers to generate extra income to support the business with James and Andrew both keen to have a future in the farm. “Short-term is survival and weathering the storm and to consolidate the business. At a time when milk price is below the cost of production the extra income and cost savings from the wind turbine have proved critical to the business. We are very much a family farm and believe that will stand us in good stead to deal with the current deflated milk price.” And, on top of his farm work, James has several other interests and last year set up Dairy Elite, a website for breeders to buy and sell stock and embryos on line. “I struggled to find somewhere on line to buy or sell embryos privately and easily, so I thought there was a gap in the market. It’s a classified ads site and is simple to use and to post online. Its free to post and a great way to advertise online. It is going well, there are people advertising from America, Canada, the UK and Holland.” Most recently James has been lobbying for a more sustainable future for dairying in Northern Ireland. He is a founding member of Fair Price Farming, a dairy lobbying group that has taken him to Stormount to meet the Agricultural Committee and Brussels. Protesting in Belfast also attracted some celebrity attention from Charlie Wilson – Coronation Street’s Jim McDonald. The Fair Price group continue to meet and lobby politicians, processors and retailers for the interests of dairy farmers in Northern Ireland.


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