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combination of sexed and conventional semen used.” Space is limited in the shed where heifers are served, allowing a quick turnaround to settle in, be served and move on.
In a bid to breed both fertile cows and reduce the age at first calving, fertility indexes are something Richard considers when selecting sires. “My criteria is +2 for type, +300 for milk with improving fertility and cell counts. Strength is another area I look to protect in the herd and through the World Wide Mating Service we are correctively mating, with cows being linear scored, as well as inbreeding being taken care of.” Current service sires in the herd include Mogul, Grafeeti, Paramount, Superstyle, Supershot, Penly, Honeybee, Dreamer and Brewmaster. The use of genomics has risen to between 30-40%, but Richard still prefers to use top proven bulls for reliability and when he likes a bull will use 300 straws
to make an impression in the herd.
Using a large number of straws has resulted in some influential bulls stamping the herd including Shottle, Durham Ross, Design, Baxter and Bolton. "Most recently Alexander daughters are impressing me, but I am extremely impressed by the Iota daughters. “One index on bull proofs I have started to take more notice of is the SCR, as this indicates how fertile the semen is and helps to value the straw of semen.”
The farm is now in the fourth generation with three generations currently involved in the farm. Richard farms in partnership with brothers Robert and Nick, with Robert’s son Jamie also involved when he isn’t studying at Hartpury College. Father Michael is still active and is at the farm every day, helping when needed and being the ‘go for’.
Richard focuses on cow management as well as the
day-to-day management, feeding and covering relief work in most areas. Robert takes care of office work and crop management, while Nick works on most things and is also responsible for slurry management and mechanics. Richard’s grandfather took over the tenancy at Eastknook in 1939 milking between 60 and 70 Shorthorns until the mid 60s when they moved to black and whites. Richard explains: “By the mid 70s we were milking 100 black and whites and in the early 80s we started using pure bred Holstein sires.”
When Robert and Richard left college in the early 90s the herd was up to 130 head and in 1993 the parlour was upgraded from a 10:10 to 14:14 herringbone. By 2012 numbers had increased to 200 and one new shed had been built on a green field site. “NVZ regulations meant the old system was non-compliant with the sheds being right next to a river. This drove new buildings, slurry system and
There are currently three generations of the Pottow family at Eastknook, Jamie, Richard, Michael, Robert and Nick.
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