Middlefields Farm fed out of the machine and how much it has cost and saved me, whether I have under fed or over fed. It is traceability that doesn’ t lie and you can’ t hide thinking that you’ ve done it right if you haven’ t.’
‘ I’ d say three things have got us through the past two years of low prices. First would be the Keenan wagon with its Pace technology for its efficient feeding; second would be the new feed shed we invested in that enables us to buy feed cheaper; and thirdly scaling back machinery and going with contractors.’
Andrew’ s herd average is currently 9800 litres and his Holstein Friesian cows are now housed indoors all year round. His milk goes to Payne’ s Dairies in Boroughbridge.
‘ Our new shed is high welfare status and very clean with 18ft passages and sand beds. We produce our own replacements and had been running at around 22 per cent. In the next 6 months I think that could be as low as 18 per cent. We sell beef calves at 2 months old.’
‘ We stopped with Dairy Farmers of Britain right until nearly the death. We got out a month before the business collapsed moving to Wensleydale Creamery and we were with them for two years before joining Paynes’ Dairies.
Wensleydale was great and David Hartley is a great bloke but we couldn’ t get the benefit of the milk he wanted for cheese and so we went for the liquid market. Our milk fits the Paynes’ Dairies criteria.’
‘ The Pace technology clocks everything that is going through the machine’
Middlefields Farm is run as a family partnership with Andrew, his father Michael and Andrew’ s wife Gail.
‘ My grandfather William came here from Thornton le Dale in 1942 so I’ m the third generation to farm here and Gail and I are wanting to future proof the business for our two young sons William( 15) and Henry( 5). We have worked with the bank and our consultants Kite on how to get the enterprise big enough to keep it right for them. What we hadn’ t seen was a milk price of 18 pence a litre. Our worst case scenario had been 22-23ppl but it’ s coming back up now and I’ m sure it will come right again. I don’ t regret any of the decisions we have made.’
INFORMATION, Andrew Avison, 01969 640000 / 07803 508691 are pleased to support Andrew and Gail Avison and all at Middlefield farm
KW provides a broad range of alternative feeds including:
� Moist Feeds
� Bespoke Blends
� Straights
� Liquids
� Protected Fats & Proteins
� Minerals
� Yeasts and Buffers
� Silage Additives
Contact your local specialist Tom Spears on 07753 295549 to learn more
@ KWFeeds www. kwalternativefeeds. co. uk
MASHAM FOR SHEEP WENSLEYDALE FOR CHEESE BROADLEYS FOR INSURANCE
For all your general and personal Insurance Requirements
St. Nicholas House Market Place Masham, HG4 4DZ
01765 689263 / 01765 689520
Chapel House Railway Street Leyburn, DL8 5AT
01969 623687
Regulated by the FCA
www. farmers-mart. co. uk Dec / Jan 2017 69