COWS ARE BACK AT
Recent investment at Newton Rigg College includes a new dairy complex providing first class facilities for students
pedigree Holstein herd was re-established at Newton Rigg College in September 2013 after a long planning process. Following many changes in ownership since Foot-and-Mouth in 2001 the College was purchased by Askham Bryan in August 2011.
A
One of the first decisions made by college principal Liz Philip was to “bring back the cows.” In her
opinion the cows were first to go at every college that had gone out of business and so the first thing she wanted to focus on was putting on a dairy herd.
Farm manager Jonathan Fisher says one of his first tasks after starting in August 2011 was to start planning the reintroduction of a milking herd. “A lot of planning has gone in to the set up we now have at Sewborwens Farm. “Initial planning involved a meeting and farm walk with Robbie Taylor and Ken Shipley from Velcourt, who oversee the overall farm management at both Newton Rigg and the farms at Askham Bryan in York, and a cross section of Cumbrian farmers including John Dennison, Colin Dent, Robert Craig, Duncan Horsley, Kevin Wilson, Harry Martin, college agricultural staff and governors’ David Black and Peter Holiday
“During the meeting the farm and current facilities were analysed and discussions covered every breed choice and both extensive grazing and high intensity.
“The consensus of opinion from the meeting was that the old buildings didn’t meet a modern and desired standard and a green field site would be the best option. Also, the overriding decision was to milk a pedigree Holstein herd on a high input, high output system. The decision to be pedigree was for an added interest for the team and students as well as the fact there had historically been a pedigree herd
at the College.
Building started in February 2013 and a month later the opportunity arose to purchase the entire milking portion of Anthony Brough’s Tallent herd. “The deal on 130 cows and 30 heifers was done by Liz within an hour and a half one Saturday morning. “A further 30 heifers were purchased from Holmland, Ingleden and Bridgedale during 2012.”
ABOVE Calves are reared on machines in one of the original buildings.
BELOW The dairy team at Newton Rigg includes Sarah Sutton, Josh Forrest, Jonathan Fisher and Wayne Stead.
NEWTON RIGG
44 THE JOURNAL APRIL 2015
PHOTOGRAPHY BY MOOANDBAA
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