Staffordshire: Fertility improvements for impact

Join us for this on-farm event to hear how strategic dairy farm host, Andrew Gilman, Statfold Farm, is improving his herd's fertility.

As one of the main factors affecting dairy herd efficiency, poor fertility can be a significant cost to your business. But it is also an area where improvements can easily be made.

Working with vets, James Breen and Chris Hudson, Andrew is using different data metrics to pinpoint the area where changes could have the most impact.

At this event, you will hear top tips on deciding where to start and find out how to make improvements in the following areas:

• Heat detection
• Transition
• Space
• Feeding

To assist with biosecurity and conform to government guidelines please ensure outer clothing and vehicles are clean and that clean boots that can be disinfected are worn. Please note children under the age of 16 and dogs are not allowed at the event, even if they are staying in the car.

Health and Safety guidelines for AHDB Events

About Statfold Farm

Statfold Farm runs an all-year-round calving system. The herd is currently made up of 300 predominantly Holstein cows with Swedish red and PRO cross being introduced. Their average yield is 10’000 litres with 3.9% Fat and 3.3% protein. The total area of 450 acres is made up of 70 acres permanent pasture and the rest split over grass and maize. The infrastructure includes two cubicle sheds, the older shed with 197 cubicles and the new build containing 104. Original Victorian buildings are still used along with two new open fronted sheds for rearing heifers. Cows are housed most of the year and grazed during their dry period. Cows are milked 3 times a day through a 20/20 herringbone parlour.

Sexed Semen is used for replacements with the rest to beef. Breeding decisions are data driven using milk quality and serves per conception as the current main drivers. Andrew supplies milk to Arla on a liquid contract aligned with Asda.

The extended farm team includes Andrew’s father, Herdsman Andy, Assistant Herdsman Kieran and general farm working Nigel with two other self employed workers who will do night time milking.

Learn more about Statfold Farm

About Strategic Dairy Farms

Strategic dairy farms help farmers learn from each other through regular on-farm meetings where we share key performance data and showcase what the best farmers are doing.

They form part of the Optimal Dairy Systems programme which aims to help dairy farmer’s lower costs and increase efficiency by focusing on either a block or all-year-round calving system.

The growing network of strategic dairy farms have calculated key performance indicators (KPIs) for their enterprises which are shared at meetings and published online. These are physical and financial performance measures that are critical to success. Farmers can benchmark their businesses against these KPIs and identify areas for improvement.

Explore our other strategic dairy farms