The Farmers Mart Aug/Sep 2015 - Issue 41 | Page 12

Low Whinholm Farm

Crossbred cows & pedigree
sheep the mix at Streetlam
Chris Berry meets the Johnson brothers at Low Whinholm Farm
»»Managing cows
through cross breeding rather
than pedigree is proving
cost-effective for Colin and
Robin Johnson who are in
partnership at their 267-acre
Low Whinholm Farm, Streetlam
near Northallerton - where the
brothers and Colin’s son, Ross,
run a 150-cow dairy herd and
a flock of 100 Bleu du Maine
breeding ewes.
While the milk price
continues to cause serious
concern, they are focussing
their attention on areas that
they can influence rather than
on those they cannot.
“We are using a combination
of Swedish Red, Holstein
and Montbeliarde to provide
cows that benefit from hybrid

vigour,” Colin explained. “They
are now living longer and we
get fewer illnesses as a result.
We don’t get the 10,000 litres
herd average that you get
from pedigree Holsteins but
their production of 7,500-7,750
litres per cow works out better
over their lifetime due to the
increased number of lactations
they are capable of giving.
“Our bull calves are of a
higher quality too. We rear them
up to 10-11 months old and sell
as store cattle at Northallerton
market where we get a better
price than we were achieving
previously. The cull cow, when
she finishes, also has a higher
value so we’re increasing the
value of our cows and their
offspring.

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12 Aug/Sep 2015 www.farmers-mart.co.uk

“Hybrid production is also
known for creating healthier
cows and our vet bills are
reducing, plus the cows have a
good somatic cell count. We are
now a high health status herd
and aim to keep it that way. We
use AI through Genus and calve
all year round to maintain a
level profile.”
The brothers streamlined
their farming enterprise at Low
Whinholm after foot and mouth
disease year in 2001.
They have never been
afraid to move their milk from
one buyer to another and
have switched several times
since the demise of the Milk
Marketing Board and are
currently with Meadow Foods in
Shropshire.”

Despite the milk price being
so low for all at present, Colin
tells of how their cross breeding
of the cows is still helping not
just in health but also in the
quality of the milk they provide.
“Like most dairy farmers, we
are paid on butterfat and protein
levels and there is a premium
over the base price for achieving
the requisite standards. Our
cows are good at reaching the
required standard and I believe
that is down to what cross
breeding brings about.”
Wheat and barley is grown
for feed and their only boughtin element of the diet is protein.
They grow 65 acres of barley
varieties Cassia and Glacier
and 32 acres of Beluga winter
wheat.

www.northallertonauctions.com
Tel [phone]
Weekly Tuesday Primestock Sales

Cull Sheep 9.15am
Prime Lambs 10am
Sale of Young Bulls & Clean Cattle 12 noon
12 - 14 buyers weekly, reliable
trade week in week out

Weekly Wednesday Store Stock Sales
Breeding & Store Sheep, Cull Cows,
Young Bulls & Store Cattle
More stock required in all sections

WE ARE PROUD TO WORK WITH
THE JOHNSON FAMILY
VALUED MARKET CUSTOMER’S