60 WHITCLIFFE HALL FARM DEC / JAN 2024 • farmers-mart . co . uk
60 WHITCLIFFE HALL FARM DEC / JAN 2024 • farmers-mart . co . uk
FAMILY DAIRY FARM STILL COMMITTED TO MILKING … AND NOW HEDGELAYING
Chris Berry talks with Stephen & Chris Britton of Whitcliffe Hall Farm , Littlethorpe .
WHILE many dairy farmers have left behind their milking days since the demise of the Milk Marketing Board in the mid-90s the Brittons of Whitcliffe Hall , Littlethorpe between Studley Royal and Ripon have remained .
Not only that , but they have also stayed with the same buyer throughout that time , nearby Payne ’ s Dairies in Roecliffe , near Boroughbridge run by a man very well known to all dairy farmers in the area , Charlie Payne .
“ We ’ ve been with Charlie and Payne ’ s Dairies since the end of the Milk Marketing Board ,” says Stephen Britton , and we ’ ve never seen a need to change . We ’ ve always had a good relationship , the same as a few others around here . Staying local has been what it has all been about , supporting each other .
“ Our granddad Charles was the first generation of our family to farm here in 1927 when it was owned by Commander Vyner who owned Studley Estate .
Dad , Foster had chance to buy the farm in 1965 , but it took until 1970 by the time everything was sorted .
Stephen says that Whitcliffe Hall is still very much the family farm it has always been for nearly 100 years .
“ There are four of us who run the farm between us with two of us from the third generation to farm here , myself and my brother John ; and two from the fourth generation with John ’ s eldest lad , Chris , and my youngest , Charlie . It ’ s a good number of us to be involved because it means we can spell the milking between us .
Chris came back to the farm 7-8 years ago after studying at Harper Adams and travelling to Australia and New Zealand and says that was when they moved up in cow numbers by about 30 cows milking .
“ The herd now runs to about 250 Holstein Friesians and we average about 220 through the parlour . When I came home we scaled up the cow numbers . We were milking 180-190 before I came back and we put on another 30 to take us to 220 and now we ’ re at 250 . Charlie worked for a local butcher in Ripon and then came back to the farm about five years ago .
“ Our cows average around 10,000 litres . We have them in three groups . As we calve all year round we have a freshly-calved group , which means we have freshly-calved cows inside all year round with their calves on sand and with comfy beds . Every cow is in that group 3-4 weeks . If we ’ re busy calving they get rotated through that group to help with transition .
“ The second group is the high yielders group and they are in the main cubicle shed . Through summer the high yielders are out at grass and during the night they have access for cubicles because their field is right next to the shed and they can wander in and out . The third group is the low yielders that are out night and day at grass and get a bit of buffer on the trough .
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Whole farms to small agricultural extensions Large agricultural buildings • Industrial units
We have been building agricultural buildings since 1994 following many years in agriculture on the family farm .
Our wealth of experience means we can design , plan and build from the ground up any size or type of agricultural building you require .
Now operating from the new factory with vastly increased capacity .
“ Everyone at John Walker Farm Buildings sends best wishes to the Britton family at Whitcliffe Hall Farm ”
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