30 FAVIN FARM
‘ I do all the AI work and choose all the bulls we will use . We use sexed semen for the dairy replacements across around 40-50 . The rest of the herd will go to the British Blue for the beef herd . We haven ’ t had a stock bull for years . I ’ m currently using Triple Blue , which is three British Blues in one straw . It ’ s working well for us . We are seeing higher rates of fertility and they are producing cracking calves that are finishing well .’
The Gowthorpes take their beef cattle through to finishing and at any one time will have around 400 + cattle on the farm in addition to the dairy cows .
‘ We sell our beef cattle mainly through York livestock market ,’ says Graham . ‘ Along with some to Wooley Brothers in Sheffield . We aim to finish the bulls at around 13-14 months and the heifers at
between 22-24 months after a summer out on grass . We normally take around 15-20 per month .’
It ’ s a woman ’ s world all around Graham at Favin Farm , something he became used to with the work of his mum , May , years ago – but now sees his wife Julie , Katie and two other young ladies Amy and Amelia all working well together .
‘ Graham ’ s mum could turn her hand to anything ,’ says Julie . ‘ I came to the farm with no experience of farming and started helping her . I took on the raising of the baby calves to weaning that she had always handled , but she ’ d done much more as she ’ d played a major part when Graham ’ s father passed away at an early age .’
‘ The three of us – Graham , Katie and I have always gelled together as a team and now the farm is mainly focused on Katie , going forward .’
‘ It works for us ,’ says Graham . ‘ My mum had been brought up on a farm , went milking for someone when she left school , then met my father and ended up milking for the rest of her life . With Katie taking over it just seems natural . She ’ s always worked on the farm and after finishing her degree at Bishop Burton College she came straight back here .’
Katie is particularly happy that she has Amelia ( Preston ) and Amy ( Clarkson ) working with her .
‘ It ’ s really lovely working with them both . It ’ s like having your two best friends working with you . We get on really well and make a great team . They also get involved in making decisions with me . They are both local . I met Amelia through Beacon YFC .’
FAMILY RUN BUSINESS ESTABLISHED SINCE 1979
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