Pre-Nuffield visits visit to Banff and Lake Louise

A visit to a foster cow system in Cornwall and a dam rearing system in Devon

Foster cow systems can work inside and outside

Foster cow systems can work where dam rearing isn’t feasible

Keep reared calves in groups of similar age, and handle regularly

Colostrum intake is crucial, even when calves won’t be artificially reared

Kindergarten areas must be Jersey proof

Farmers in Denmark are also challenged by cow-calf contact systems where there is no additional return for their milk

Foster cows can rear multiple pairs of calves

Fostering can have psychological benefits for cows e.g. second lease of life

Mechanical straw dispensing is a useful labour saving device in Denmark

Data is king, queen, and prime minister

Treat all calves equally

Medium sized herds in Denmark are turning to robots to make up for lack of labour, bigger ones have to use rotaries and so can’t fix the issue with automation

Calf rearers have a choice of supplying farmers, so dairy farmers must keep them sweet through delivering healthy, well grown calves with the genetic potential to perform as beef calves

Holstein bulls are nasty and will beat up dairy x beef calves- so keep separate

The increase in sexed semen usage is great for dairy farmers AND for calf rearers

There are limited options for Jersey bull calves, but farmers can accommodate the small number born from sexed semen by rearing alongside heifers to finish- either for sale or own consumption

There is still so much to learn about cow calf contact

Some cows really aren’t motivated by their calf… but others are

Foster cows and calves can have strong bonds and successful partnerships

Feeding colostrum with the three qs (quality, quantity, and quickly) is really important for calves that suckle their mothers/fostered cows

Calves can go from separation and teat feeding back to cows

Milk production in full contact systems seems to vary by farm, but in the project was down to 2-3 litres. Half day contact saw 20 litres +, and cows in the full day contact would drip milk if separated from their calves

When calves were in half day contact and not supplemented with milk, they did not appear smaller than those with full day contact

Cows with full day contact can be reluctant to let down milk in the parlour- some farmers are better at this

Post Nuffield I would really like to do more with this subject, PhD anyone?

The UK industry is looking to finish dairy calves younger, in order to be more cost efficient. Denmark has got this wrapped up, but is looking to breed animals for a slower finishing process

Jersey x beef meat is the best tasting

A strategy to rear beef to displace imports can satisfy farmers and consumers

Beef from the dairy herd has clear environmental benefits

Sexed beef semen can help farmers meet market demands

Dairy farmers need to produce calves that are attractive to beef farmers- breed, sex, and health/weight when sold

Any person can access a Danish database which shows how many cows, heifers, and bulls are on a farm, and whether or not they have salmonella in the herd

Clear marketing of products can make dairy beef (both pure and cross bred) attractive to supermarkets and consumers

Denmark are acting to improve the ethics of dairy farming now, while attention focuses mostly on mink and pigs, meaning they are a step ahead

In a relatively short space of time the Danish dairy industry has worked together- from farmers to breeding companies to slaughterhouse to supermarket- to develop a strategy which will eliminate euthanasia and also deliver meat products that consumers want to buy and that will lower the carbon foot print of beef eaten in Denmark

Through this a new opportunity has also arisen fro calf rearers/beef farmers who want to or need to work with a different model to that which currently dominates

At the start of any trip like this I am concerned that I’ve come to the right places and asked the right questions. Viking Genetics were brilliant hosts and gave me a comprehensive run down of the Danish dairy industry, as well as vital information on Denmark’s particular strategies, and the steps that they have taken to make the industry more ethical (and potentially more environmentally friendly, as beef from dairy = lower carbon footprint, as does more efficient management). My key learnings would be:

Jersey beef has a market of its own, but it is a top end one

Jersey x beef calves can hold their own

Heifer beef calves may not match the growth rates needed for Denmark’s ten month finishing age, but there are options for slower growing animals to graze poorer grass and establish their own market

Beef from dairy has environmental benefits, even it that starts with displacing imported beef

Beef semen for dairy cows needs to be evaluated differently to beef for beef

Calving ease is king

An industry can make a seismic shift to sexed semen, but will need some help along the way

Selection of best cows starts with genomics, but can work with phenotypic data for cross breeds

We need comprehensive ways to show farmers how using sexed and beef semen can impact the profitability and carbon footprint of their herds

ProCross and Viking Genetics’s other three way breeding strategies have great potential in the UK for producing a cow that has milk and meat value, and therefore can champion efficient milk production, integrated beef, and be better for the environment

Data = better

Spread the risk with beef bulls as well as sexed semen bulls- dairy farmers already use different dairy bulls, but there are still some who use one sexed and one beef bull. Using multiple bulls can overcome issues with fertility, but also any risks associated with one bull throwing big calves

Male sexed beef is often overlooked but really does have a role to play

My trip to East Anglia was a brilliant start to my studies. It was great to see the links between racing and dairy, and to make contacts to continue that learning throughout my scholarship. Old Hall Farm gave me a first taste of cow- calf contact dairy in a practical setting, and has answered many of my questions about the feasibility of such an approach while raising many others. On the conventional side I was reminded of how much straight forward integrated dairy and beef systems would be were the whole country on a four year tb testing interval, and I picked up some excellent tips on sexed semen use. I saw the scope and potential of using livestock to improve soil health, and the challenges and opportunities of being dairy farmers in a predominantly arable area. The farmers I met were brilliant and inspiring, and I am hugely grateful to them all for taking the time to speak to me and to show me their cows and farms.