The Farmers Mart Dec-Jan 2020 - Issue 66 | Page 43

LINGHAW FARM 43 • DEC/JAN 2020 Robert is the third generation to farm at High Bentham. His grandfather Frank took over what was then a tenanted farm of 120 acres at Batty Farm in 1947. ‘My dad bought it and then Linghaw Farm was bought in 1973. We run both Batty and Linghaw together across around 300 acres. We’ve been all dairy for the past 18 years after previously having sheep. We’ve just taken on 150 North Country Mule gimmers that we will lamb in April and sell with lambs at foot. It’s something our son-in-law James (Atkinson), who is married to our daughter Sandra, and Chris Chappell the man who works for us decided they wanted to bring back to the farm. ‘Elaine just reckons I’ve had a funny turn bringing them back.’ ‘We currently milk around 150 dairy cows all year round and usually have around 175 in total. We were just a little under that figure going into December as we had a man take quite a few this last summer, but we’ve a lot of heifers to calve in this New Year.’ ‘We began going into Holstein bloodlines in the late 70s as they give more milk and from our experience are a lot calmer than Friesians. Our herd average is about 10,600. Newbirks Jazz gave 14,594 litres in her last perfor- mance record. We like the herd to be out on the grass in summer. Weather permitting we get them out usually around the first week of May until the beginning of Riverside Business Park Natland Road, Kendal, LA9 75X Tel. [phone] [email protected] September but they came in on 10 August in this past summer as it just came too wet.’ Feed is a silage base from three cuts on the farm with wholecrop, sugar beet and a blend on a semi-TMR ration that is topped up in the Fullwood parlour with dairy cake. Robert says the TMR doesn’t bring about any more milk, he just finds it easier to use. ‘We keep all our female calves,’ says Robert. ‘Most our cows are calving to sexed semen that we started with around five years ago. It had done away with our bull market as we used to rear 10-12 bulls a year. We are now chasing up the problem ones for getting into calf with a Limousin bull.’ Tithe Barn Veterinary Centre Kendal Road, Kirkby Lonsdale, LA6 2HH Tel. [phone] [email protected] Our team are committed to providing the very best veterinary care for pets and livestock throughout the South Lakes and North Lancashire. We offer a comprehensive range of services with experienced, specialist vets providing both preventative and therapeutic healthcare 24 hours a day. We have modern, fully equipped surgeries at Kirkby Lonsdale and Kendal, both easily accessible with ample parking. Choose from a massive range of pet foods, toys, collars, leads and accessories at discounted, prices from our ‘Webshop‛. For more information visit our website or ‘Find Us On Facebook‛. 24 Hour Emergency Service www.westmorland-vets.co.uk ‘I’ve given up with these genomic bulls though as they can possibly sometimes relate to an animal that has never calved. Ours have to be out of proven cow families.’ Robert has always enjoyed showing but admits that success at the big shows doesn’t always lead to being looked on favour- ably when perhaps entering the smaller local shows. He and Elaine still attend even if they don’t take their cows. ‘You can’t win really, and I’m not talking about rosettes and trophies. If you enter then the locals can sometimes feel it is unfair because you’ve won at the bigger shows, but then on the other side if you don’t support you are seen to be miserable. MACHINERY SPECIALISTS That’s why we tend to stick with the bigger shows now.’ ‘We went to the Great Yorkshire Show last summer without Jazz as it was the Welsh the following week so we rested her. It’s a bit like putting your head on the chopping block when you know you’ve left your best cow at home, but we got reserve with another cow and took the inter- breed pairs title. Last year really was a great year. Robert and Elaine’s other two daughters Pamela and Kathryn are at the centre of village life in High Bentham. They run Flower Fields, the florist shop that also stocks fruit and vegetables, that they have run for 16 years, and in January 2018 they took over the village post office. SALES | SERVICE | PARTS web. email www.pvdobson.com [email protected] t. 015395 60833 Ivy House Works, Levens Kendal, Cumbria LA8 8PG t. 01756 701166 Unit 4, Snaygill Industrial Estate, Skipton BD23 2QR t. 01772 426248 NEW Unit 3M, Eaton Avenue Matrix Park, Chorley PR7 7NG