Michael Kyle, of Linn’s Farm, Collin; Rory Christie, of The Dourie Farming Company, Newton Stewart; and Graham Armstrong of Kirvennie Farm, Newton Stewart were winners at the Helping It Happen Awards last week.
They scooped the Innovation in Farming prize for the FastBreeders project, of which they are a part along with Charlie Russell of the Glenapp Estate in Ayrshire.
The collaboration involves the four pasture dairy farms using data to enable precise genomic selection decisions to maximise the health and efficiency of crossbred dairy cows.
The project is supported by Prof Mike Coffee, of SRUC, and Hamish Walls, of SAOS.
So far data has been collected from approximately 7000 animals over several generations and includes records on fertility, liveweight, milk output and quality and wider health traits. This is matched against genomic samples and used to develop a highly accurate culling and selection tool and an evidence base to choose breeding sires.
The aim is to accelerate health and productivity gains towards a net zero cow bred for the environment of South West Scotland.
By collaborating, the four farms – which together milk 4500 mainly Jersey cross Holstein dairy cows – enabled access to greater genetic diversity providing more opportunity to accelerate gain.
Additionally, as a team they say they are better able to deal with and resolve any technical challenges.
The quartet said: “Looking at the environmental, social and economic benefits of this innovation, climate change and rapidly rising costs have emphasised our need to change our farming systems to make them more resilient and to target net zero production.
“Our low input pasture system aims to make more from less, i.e. great dairy from sun, rain and soil – ‘solar powered milk’. Second, as a group of four collaborating farmers we gain a huge amount from our social interaction, its great fun and together we learn more at a faster pace.
“We also spread our learning to other farmers using similar systems so they too can benefit from our knowledge. Finally, being more sustainable is good for business.
“Using AI with superior bulls only allows us to obtain gains on the male breeding pathway which nationally averages out at 1.1 per cent/year. Opening the female side will enable us to significantly raise this benchmark and become more profitable and sustainable on almost every measure.
“We are confident this can happen but cautious about quantifying any gains until our project is further developed.
“The project will fundamentally change the way dairy cow reproduction is delivered and will consolidate the farms into an information nucleus that can be developed for a whole range of other management practices.”
Above: Rory, Charlie and Graham
