FAR LEFT DG Candace, a Mogul daughter out of Larcrest Cale VG89 2yr, a recent purchase that is currently being flushed.
LEFT Rocklu Shottle Dewdrop EX90 is 12th generation VG /EX and the type of cow Mark is trying to breed.
the herd and the rest of the business.” ‘
and suffer with very few retained cleansings or
For me cows are all about type as this in turn means longevity
And that building of the business has included taking on a further 150 acres of land from the Althorp Estate as well as the purchase of a farm in Yorkshire. “We couldn’t have done all of that without the quality of cows we’re working with and the contacts I made through auctioneering and working overseas have been central to helping us find the right cows, including Vieux Saule GW Dragonball which Jan Defries from Eurogenes found in the Czech Republic for us. “I’d seen her dam Vieux Saule Allen Dragonfly in Canada and was determined to get in to the family some how. An AI station in the Czech Republic had bought a number of embryos and Dragonball was the result of one of those. It took a total of six weeks to get her back to the UK, but she’s been one of the best buys, with embryos sold from her across Europe and Dragonball was the first member of the family in the UK.” With 131 cows in the milking herd and 125 of those classified VG or Excellent breeding for type is at the centre of everything the Lees do and bull choices are made with high type in mind, explains Mark. “For me cows are all about type as this in turn means longevity. We need production too in order to put milk in the tank, but with a modern Holstein so long as you get the diet right the milk generally follows. “I’m a firm believer in genomics and the opportunity the technology
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offers to identify top bulls and females at a young age. However, I worry about the way it could be used and the pressure being applied to breed for ever higher indices. As breeders we need to pay attention to the fundamentals of what makes a cow first and look at the index next. “The same breeding principles which have always applied still apply now and we mustn’t chase high genomic values at the expense of logical matings. We must still pay close attention to the individual traits and ensure we’re breeding the right type of cow for the modern industry,” he says.
Currently in use and with daughters on the ground at Crystalclear are Glauco, Atwood, Attic, Endure, Elude, Contrast, Adonis, Armani, Mascalese, Saviour and Doorman, with a little Goldwyn also used. When it comes to herd management the key for the Lees is keeping cows in a regular routine which means not relying on grazing for their feed and housing cows all-year round. “Cows go out to stretch their legs on a loafing paddock but have a TMR ration in front of them every day of the year.
“I’m a firm believer in continuity for the cows and knowing exactly what its costing us every day to feed the cows has been central to helping us get going and grow the herd as it’s helped us to keep to budgets. It also allows me to forward buy feeds and keep costs under control,” explains Mark.
This desire for continuity extends to keeping a set pre and post-calving routine with dry cows fed a straw-based ration and every cow given a shot of oxytocin at calving as well as a fresh cow drink and calcium when needed. “We never assist a calving unless it is absolutely necessary
36 THE JOURNAL APRIL 2015
other calving problems,” he adds. Keeping cows in all year means Mark and Anne are able to grow a variety of forage and arable crops across the 400 acres now farmed in Northamptonshire, including grass, maize, red clover and lucerne, with arable crops including oats, wheat and rape. “Making top quality silages from the forage crops is paramount and the red clover and lucerne help put fertility back in the ground for the following arable crops.”
Next stop for this ambitious couple is to move to the new farm in Yorkshire and take the milking herd to its new 160-acre home. “We should be moving in later this year and then the herd will switch to robotic milking which will hopefully make life a bit simpler, particularly on the days when I need to be away from the farm auctioneering,” explains Mark. “We couldn’t have afforded to buy a farm of the quality we have if we’d stayed here, but we’re going to keep the tenancy of this unit and put a manager in to run it as a commercial herd and possibly rear the youngstock down here still.” The herd’s new home is currently still under construction and converting an arable unit to dairy has given the couple the chance to design the unit to suit their needs, says Mark. “It’s been a great chance to really get things as we want them from the outset. The forage crops have been in for 18 months now and we sold the forage off the farm last year, so once we move in we’ll be ready to roll immediately.
“It is important for youngsters out there to look at what we, and a number of others like us, have done and see that it really can be done if you put your mind to it and work hard. I was frequently told that my dream of farming was never going to happen and I’d never make money. That made me more determined and I’m proud to have achieved what we have in the time we have,” he adds.
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