This page contains a Flash digital edition of a book.
ABOVE The typical deep green bedding.


LEFT Out of parlour handling system allows routine management to be carried out during and after milking.


“The students were talked through the traits that classification covers and what the ideal is, they then looked at bull proofs and were given four cows to


choose matings for,” explains Jonathan. “It worked very well and they all seemed to enjoy it.”


The Newton Rigg herd is on Holstein Complete and receives three classification visits a year with 12 Excellent and 68 Very Good cows currently in the herd.


The dairy farm is only part of the college and is commercially managed to run as a standalone business. As well as the dairy there are also sheep and beef enterprises split between the 516 acres at Sewborwens and the 400 acre hill farm, Low Beckside, which is 12 miles from Newton Rigg at Mungrisdale in the Lake District.


At Sewborwens the 516 acres is broken down to 108 acres of grazing, 176 acres of silage, 55 acres of winter wheat, 55 acres of maize, 25 acres of spring barley and 25 acres of short rotation willow. A further 20 acres of wild bird cover and 15 acres of six meter margins are for an extensive HLS scheme and there are also 37 acres of woods.


Alongside Jonathan, who manages both farms, there are dairy herdsman


Wayne Stead, assistant dairy herdsperson Sarah Sutton, general farm worker and tractor driver Josh Forrest and John Rowland who looks after the hill farm and oversees all sheep work.


When Askham Bryan took over Newton Rigg there were 1000 sheep which are still run between the two farms, there are flocks of Swaledales on the hill, a draft flock to breed Mules and a Mule flock bred to Beltex or Texel tups to produce prime lambs. A further 180 store lambs are brought from the hill farm each year to finish and the gimmer lambs are also wintered at Sewborwens.


There is also a herd of 25 pure Aberdeen-Angus cows which were also taken on to graze the hill farm in summer, as well as a new venture in autumn 2014 in partnership with Cumbria Wildlife Trust. The Trust has given Newton Rigg the use of a 500 acre hill to run 20 Luing cows on all year round.


Alongside the pure herds British Blue and Charolais are used on the bottom end of the dairy herd, both beef and half of the dairy bull calves are finished on the farm.


Investment and publicity at Newton Rigg has seen student numbers increase from 13 in 2011 to 38 first years in the extended diploma in 2014, as well as 30 level two students and 26 second years. Students are now coming from outwith Cumbria because of the attraction of having dairy, beef and hill farming at the college and there is a good balance of boys and girls from both farming and non-farming backgrounds.


Students are given the opportunity to prepare and show calves at local 48 THE JOURNAL APRIL 2015


shows, the first outing was at UK Dairy Expo in March 2014 and then at Northern Expo in October 2014. At Northern Expo the team’s work was rewarded with the college winning Premier Exhibitor and the Genetic Merit Award.


They are guided by Wayne and Sarah to halter break, wash and clip calves which is mainly done during their free and study time. Dairy lecturer Natalie Parker is also keen for students to take part in showing. “Whether they are interested in dairy, beef or sheep, it is a great experience to work with the animals and get the satisfaction of preparing them. “We are running our own college show during the open day in June, students will be judged on showing and preparation. It will allow everyone to have a shot and also show the opportunities to visitors.


“As well as the experience students get from showing it is also a great way of promoting the college locally too.


“The college exhibited at UK Dairy Expo again in 2015 and will also show at Cumberland, Penrith and possibly Great Yorkshire and Westmorland.”


As well as showing, the college have also taken part in the Border and Lakeland Holstein Club Herd Competition with Bridgedale Gelic 72 winning best junior heifer in 2014. Sired by Go-Farm Pitbull she classified VG87 as a heifer and has now calved her second.


Herdsman Wayne says working as part of the team at Newton Rigg has added more to the job. “It is interesting working with the students and helping them learn. “The students are quick to pick things up and sometimes you find the ones with no farming background are more open minded.”


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116