James Kingston is milking 70 cows this year in a compact spring-calving pattern for Lisavaird Co-op in West Cork. He breeds his own replacements and, this year, has 21 heifer calves with 20 maiden heifers.
In 2014, he produced 340,000 litres from 60 milking cows, farming a total of 47ha with 26ha available for the milking cows. Little or no milk is supplied in December and January, with deliveries starting again in February each year. In 2014, somatic cell count (SCC) averaged 95,000 for the year, only going over 100,000 in the second half of lactation.
Co-op figures show milk deliveries averaging 4.27% fat and 3.64% protein. Most of the milk is produced from grazed grass with about 700kg of meal fed per cow. Four weeks of AI are used and over 90% of the cows are calved between February and April each year.
James is big on simplifying the system and is a great believer in milk-recording as a tool to monitor yield and cell count. He has been recording for the last 11 years and uses the results to compare cows on yield and SCC.
Farming system
In 2014, James milked 60 cows and this year he is milking 70 cows in spring milk production supplying Lisavaird Co-op. In total, James is farming 47ha (116 acres) and milk delivered in 2014 was 293.133 litres at 4.27% fat and 3.64% protein.
Parlour
10-unit herringbone.
SCC results
Average: 95,000 for 2014.
TBC results
Average: 6,000 for 2014.
Full list of Quality Millk Awards finalists' profiles
James Kingston is milking 70 cows this year in a compact spring-calving pattern for Lisavaird Co-op in West Cork. He breeds his own replacements and, this year, has 21 heifer calves with 20 maiden heifers.
In 2014, he produced 340,000 litres from 60 milking cows, farming a total of 47ha with 26ha available for the milking cows. Little or no milk is supplied in December and January, with deliveries starting again in February each year. In 2014, somatic cell count (SCC) averaged 95,000 for the year, only going over 100,000 in the second half of lactation.
Co-op figures show milk deliveries averaging 4.27% fat and 3.64% protein. Most of the milk is produced from grazed grass with about 700kg of meal fed per cow. Four weeks of AI are used and over 90% of the cows are calved between February and April each year.
James is big on simplifying the system and is a great believer in milk-recording as a tool to monitor yield and cell count. He has been recording for the last 11 years and uses the results to compare cows on yield and SCC.
Farming system
In 2014, James milked 60 cows and this year he is milking 70 cows in spring milk production supplying Lisavaird Co-op. In total, James is farming 47ha (116 acres) and milk delivered in 2014 was 293.133 litres at 4.27% fat and 3.64% protein.
Parlour
10-unit herringbone.
SCC results
Average: 95,000 for 2014.
TBC results
Average: 6,000 for 2014.
Full list of Quality Millk Awards finalists' profiles
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