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Tom King Vortex Herd


Milking 570 cows on an all year housed system means fertility is constantly on the agenda for Martinstown, Dorchester-based Tom King of the Vortex herd.


photography by Tim Scrivener


The vision is to increase the herd to 900 cows in the next few years.


or Tom, getting cows back in calf is vital to the success of the business, with heifers being brought in to herd as quickly as possible to keep the herd young and fertile. “We’ve been on the expansion trail for the last few years, growing the herd just as quickly as we can, so every heifer available has been brought in to the herd, with heifers averaging 22 months at calving. “Our replacement rate is running at 35%, with a culling rate of 20% which has enabled us to expand cow numbers fairly quickly” However, while managing a herd this size and staying on top of fertility could daunt many, for Tom, who farms with his father Alan and mother Maggie, the answer lies in routine and planning. “We have a straightforward strategy when it comes to getting cows back in calf and that involves pre-synching cows and when necessary ov-synching them too. “It might not be for everyone, but it’s a system which works for us because we can maximise the chances of every cow getting back in calf,” he explains.


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