Latest news with #HolsteinFriesians
NZ Herald
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- NZ Herald
UK dairy farmers play jazz to cows, boosting milk production
In 2021, Hollis Meade, a Devon organic dairy farm, organised a concert for its cows at which the jazz pianist Ben Waters played. Owner Oliver Hemsley said his cows had loved the music, adding: 'It provided some sort of distraction. They looked very happy. When the music started, they looked a little bemused, then moved quietly and quickly to their food.' While jazz is now in vogue, for several years it has been popular for dairy farmers to play classical music while milking their cows, Hemsley said. 'We've been doing it for a long time. It does relax the cows,' he added. On a recent edition of BBC's Farmwatch, the saxophonist Julian Smith performed with a guitarist for an audience of cattle at Chesterton Fields Farm in Warwickshire. Charles Goadby, a dairy farmer based in Nuneaton, told the broadcaster he had been playing music to his cows for nearly a decade. He said: 'We installed a robotic milking system and there were a lot of new harsh sounds and noises, so we wanted to drown that out and give them a constant sound. 'This was about 10 years ago, and somebody suggested the cows like classical music – that was the trend back then – so I put a classical radio station on for the cows to listen to, and it just helps them relax a little bit. 'We always have music on in the milking parlour... not just for the staff to listen to. 'It's a little bit like the Pavlov dog theory, where it's waking up the senses, it starts their hormone production off, and actually, the cows will release a little bit sooner and that milk flow will be a little bit quicker. 'It helps relax the cows and the workers – so that's a win-win all round.' For a study published in 2001 by academics from the University of Leicester, 1000 Holstein Friesians were played music for 12 hours a day for several weeks. When the cattle listened to slow and relaxed songs, their milk yield rose by 0.73 litres per cow per day, a 3% increase. The songs selected included Aretha Franklin's What a Difference a Day Makes and Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony. However, the researchers discovered that listening to lively music with more than 120 beats per minute reduced the rate of milk production. According to a 2019 study, Holstein Friesian cows that listened to The Classical Chillout Gold Collection, a compilation album, were calmer and took more time to rest than peers who were listening to country music or no music at all. Meanwhile, a 2021 paper examining the impact of playing music to livestock concluded: 'It would seem that music genres with a subdued, natural sound (such as classical or relaxing music) are the best and safest choice for both cattle and humans.' Juan Velez, the executive vice-president of US-based Aurora Organic Farms, told Modern Farmer: 'In terms of music, in my 30 years working with dairy cows, I have found that music can be beneficial to the wellbeing of the cows, but it must be consistent and calming.' Rob Hadley, who also farms in Warwickshire, told the BBC his cows were 'very relaxed about the jazz' and would probably like any music other than Birmingham heavy metal pioneers Black Sabbath. He said: 'Truthfully, a bit of Ozzy Osbourne would scare the socks off them.'
The Herald Scotland
5 days ago
- The Herald Scotland
Scotland's best ice cream shops to enjoy a cone with dreamy views
Stewart Tower Dairy, Stanley, Perthshire Surrounded by scenic Perthshire countryside, this ice cream parlour is a masterclass in farm diversification, with field to fork cleverly becoming cow to cone. The herd of Holstein Friesians are described as 'the backbone' of the operation at Stewart Tower Dairy, producing the milk used in the gelato-style ice cream which, to date, has been made in more than 250 flavours. If you love animals, then the views from the Roundhouse Cafe will be bliss. The pygmy goats are great fun to watch as they play in their enclosure, with other farm residents including sheep, pigs and ponies. For those in the mood to stretch their legs, Kinclaven Bluebell Wood is less than a 10-minute drive away. While it takes its name from the vivid flowers which carpet the ground each spring, it is a joy to visit year-round, home to woodpeckers, pine martens, deer, stoats and red squirrels. Gerri's Ice Cream Parlour, Stenness, Orkney Walking in through the door, it's impossible not to smile when greeted with a veritable rainbow of flavours on offer – all Orkney-made ice cream. We're talking everything from vanilla, strawberry, chocolate, mint choc chip, toffee ripple, coffee, banoffee and lemon curd to Highland Park whisky with marmalade, rhubarb and custard, rum and raisin, blueberry and raspberry swirl. Gerri's is the perfect pit stop for anyone exploring the Heart of Neolithic Orkney monuments, with the Stones of Stenness and the Ring of Brodgar only a few minutes away – you can stand outside the shop and gaze across the Loch of Stenness to both sites. It is just round the corner from the Maeshowe Visitor Centre, which hosts fascinating exhibitions about archaeology. The latest, Ness of Brodgar, runs until this autumn. This is also the check-in point for tours of the nearby Maeshowe Chambered Cairn. The Little Parlour and Loulou's, South Queensferry The Little Parlour and Loulou's in South Queensferry (Image: The Little Parlour) A delightful pair of ice cream shops sit diagonally opposite each other on the pretty cobbled High Street in South Queensferry. Loulou's is a magical mix of traditional sweet shop, coffee house and gelateria, selling Italian recipe ice cream, milkshakes, hot cookie dough, waffles, toasties, sandwiches and cakes. Read More: The Little Parlour rustles up thrilling flavour combinations for its cones and sundaes – more than 50 in total – alongside yummy toppings and a raft of tempting treats, such as beautifully decorated iced biscuits. Only a few metres along the road is a pleasant perch to eat, with picture-postcard views of the Forth Bridges and a soundtrack of gently lapping waves. Aunty Betty's, Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire Occupying prime real estate overlooking a gorgeous beach and only a short stroll from Stonehaven Open Air Pool – the UK's only art deco, Olympic-sized seawater lido – Aunty Betty's is always a soul-salving spot to spend time. The imaginative and mouth-watering menu of ice cream flavours includes Scottish tablet, cherry ripple, banana, blue bubble gum, dragon fruit, kiwi, pistachio, salted caramel fudge, birthday cake, peanut butter and watermelon sorbet – the list goes on. There is a decent selection of gluten-free and vegan options. It is also dog-friendly, with complimentary toppings for four-legged customers. St Mocha Coffee Shop & Ice Cream Parlour, Balmaha St Mocha Coffee Shop & Ice Cream Parlour and Balmaha (Image: St Mocha Coffee Shop) Selling Loch Lomond Ice Cream, made on-site in Balmaha using milk and cream from local farms, the delectable flavours at St Mocha Coffee Shop & Ice Cream Parlour range from wild strawberry to pistachio. You can pop in before or after a walk, whether a jaunt up Conic Hill, hiking the lower-level forest trails that leave from Balmaha Visitor Centre, a section of the West Highland Way or a daunder along the meandering shoreline, soaking up sweeping panoramas across Loch Lomond. Susan Swarbrick is a columnist and freelance writer who loves history and the outdoors. Follow her on X @SusanSwarbrick and Bluesky @
Agriland
31-07-2025
- Business
- Agriland
Cow comfort takes priority for conventional milking system
Watch: GEA Rapid Exit Parlour reduces milking hours for a Co. Waterford farmer Third-generation farmer Patrick Kirwan is milking 200 homebred Holstein Friesians, supplying Tirlan all year round on his 110-milking platform in Kill, Co Waterford. Up until 2023, Patrick, along with his dad Thomas, his partner and three children, were milking the herd through a 10-unit parlour which was not fit for purpose and or the expansion of the herd. To view the GEA Rapid Exit Parlour in action, GEA and Waterford FRS invite everyone to a farm open day on Thursday, August 7 at Kirwan's Farm, Kill, Co. Waterford (Eircode: X42K751). The Farm Open Day is from 11:00a.m to 3:00p.m. Patrick, who is milking the herd twice a day, said: 'We did a lot of research into types of parlours to consider looking at rotaries and the rapid exit. "We knew we wanted GEA, as our previous GEA parlour had served us well for 20 years. "The decision was made to choose the rapid exit parlour as I felt that with 200 cows, we were not milking enough to justify the rotary and with cow comfort being one of the main priorities, I felt the rapid exit worked best for our set-up.' The 24/48 GEA Rapid Exit parlour improves cow management, operator comfort and milking times, for which each milking takes the Kirwan family approximately 90 minutes, including wash up. The parlour also has a stainless-steel dung tray fitted, which increases operator comfort and reduces wash-up time. Automatic drafting allow the milker to draft cows throughout the milking. Fold-up wash trays at waist height allows easy set-up for washing. IQ clusters are installed, which limit any vacuum fluctuations and are designed to move milk from each quarter with minimum turbulence, with no cross-contamination. Plus, if the cups are kicked off during milking, the vacuum automatically shuts off to prevent contaminants from entering the milk supply. Patrick also has automatic cluster removers, further supporting the efficiency of the parlour. The parlour is fitted with the latest herd management technology, including Metatron DT70 control boxes, which show individual cow data from milk flow to milk quality, including conductivity, which will highlight possible udder infections before any clinical symptoms are showing. All information is forwarded directly to the herd management programme, DairyPlan. The herd are grazed with approximately 5kg of meal fed daily through the in-parlour feeders using feed to yield (FTY). Cows are also buffer fed most of the year. Average yields are about 27L per day at peak. The DairyPlan herd management software used by Patrick is the flexible solution that allows him to manage both his spring and autumn calving groups effectively and easily, ensuring both groups are always fed correctly in relation to milk yield and days in milk. This was one of the most important items for Patrick on any new system installed, as it allows great flexibility when running both groups together. 'A key feature I like is the fact that cows have individual spots in the parlour, making the cows happy and comfortable when they are being milked. "The new shed where we installed the parlour gives us the space for the parlour and the team to milk efficiently. The heifers adapt quickly and settle well through the parlour," Patrick added. The herd are calved in spring and autumn, and to support breeding, Patrick invested in CowScout, which reliably tells him when the cows are ready for insemination. CowScout is GEA's highly reliable and accurate heat detection and health monitoring system. Cows are monitored 24/7 with convenient alert functions directly to the farm computer or phone. Attached to the collars, the sensor provides constant heat monitoring and display of the optimal insemination time. It also notifies of any reduced eating and rumination times to enable early detection of health problems. 'CowScout has taken the pressure off as it is monitoring our cows 24/7 for us. We check the computer and can immediately see periods of high activity for each individual animal. "This provides us with information to provide that cow with the attention required within 24 hours for successful fertility and health management!' says Patrick, who now has reliable animal identification in the milking parlour. 'The support and continued service from Eamon Phelan and the team at Waterford FRS has been really good, and no matter what day of the week, if we need their help, they are there. "We are delighted with the new parlour, making milking our cows enjoyable and rewarding,' concludes Patrick. Waterford FRS have been a GEA dealer since 2010. They cover the south-east of Ireland, with customers in counties Limerick, Tipperary, Kilkenny, Waterford and Wexford. Their service includes new installations, service and breakdown cover. They are supported in this by GEA Ireland in sales, spares and technical backup. To register for the Farm Open Day, please RSVP to Eugene Jordon on 0860125518 or by email at
Belfast Telegraph
11-07-2025
- General
- Belfast Telegraph
Pull the udder one: Tyrone farmer's cow gives birth to one-in-11 million quadruplets
Lifetime dairy farmer Richard Blair (52) said he had initially anticipated more than one calf after a test the week before led him to believe there would be twins. But it wasn't until last Friday morning that his expectations would be doubled as he made four consecutive deliveries at his Strabane farm. Richard explained that he had been testing and checking his Holstein Friesians on Friday morning when he noticed a sign that one of them was about to give birth. 'Whenever we got her in then, after the test and the reading was over, I examined her. And whenever I put my hand in, I could feel four feet coming at the one time,' he said. 'I was sort of suspicious of her maybe going to have twins when she was very big in size. And she did have twins last year, on July 1.' Clear his cow was ready to deliver, Richard needed all the help he could get quickly and so called for his father, Willie (79), as well as his daughter Lucy (21). '[We] started calving her. We got the first one out and I put my hand in again and there was another one,' the 52-year-old continued. 'And then I said I'll just check to see if there are any more. I put my hand in again and there was another calf. 'I [didn't] think there would be any more, but I did just put my hand in just to check — and then there was a fourth calf.' While the first three calves came out head-first, the fourth had twisted in the womb and was birthed backwards, which subjected it to breathing difficulties. Thinking on her feet, Lucy grabbed some straw and wedged a handful up the calf's nose, which helped with decongestion, saving its life. Richard said: 'The other three had been coming out front-ways, the normal way, but the fourth one was coming backwards and when we got it out it wasn't breathing. 'So, my daughter, she started putting straw up the calf's nose and the next thing then it started to breathe. 'So it turned out that the fourth one was alive as well. 'We couldn't believe that there were four calves. Any time we ever had cows calving before, it was always either singles or twins. Never did I see the like of it before. 'The fourth calf, it could have been a fatality, so the extra help was good to have.' Cat found sheltering in Newry garden has ears removed after severe sun damage According to the Irish Farmers Journal, the odds of four live calves are one in 11 million, while four identical calves are a billion to one. The arrival brought a shock to the local farming community, as well as to Richard's local practice, Parkview Vets, with one worker saying she had never seen quadruplets in her almost 40-year career. The calves are standing strong, remain in good health and can all feed independently. Richard added: 'We have the four of them feeding together, in the pen, off a feeder. 'I just can't get over how well they're doing.'
Otago Daily Times
08-07-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Brief return south brings rewards
Holstein Friesian New Zealand president Owen Copinga visits Fairleigh dairy farm in West Otago, as part of the association's annual conference. PHOTO: SHAWN MCAVINUE Former Southland dairy farmer Owen Copinga recently returned to the province and left with a top position at Holstein Friesian New Zealand. Mr Copinga and his wife Cathy sold their dairy farm and stud herd Rivendell Holsteins in 2023, ending more than 20 years of dairy farming and breeding Holstein Friesians in Isla Bank. They moved to Te Puke to be closer to family and have since invested in kiwifruit, pine trees, a dairy farm and property. Mr Copinga returned to Southland for the Holstein Friesian New Zealand annual conference in Invercargill last month. At the annual meeting, he was elected president of the association. He was vice-president and treasurer for the three years prior. Now was the right time to take on the top position because he was no longer farming "24/7" and he lived closer to the association's national office, he said. "I've got more time to dedicate to it and there are a lot of industry matters I'm really interested in and I will always have a passion for this breed." The appeal of the breed was it "being dialled-in to converting feed to milk". Holstein Friesian were the best dairy breed to mate a beef sire to, such as Hereford, to produce calves in demand. The 2025 Holstein Friesian New Zealand Awards were part of the conference and Rivendell Sham Beatric-ET 4*ET EX3 SP won cow of the year, which was bred by Mr and Mrs Copinga and was now owned by the Cummings Family Trust, of Wyndham.
