The Arbigland Dairy Herd

In 2020, in response to Brexit, we took the painful decision to sell our beautiful pedigree Luing beef herd and go into dairying. We started milking in January 2021 and it is a decision we have not regretted and we are excited to be at the cutting edge of regenerative agriculture now, producing 3 million litres of high butterfat milk each year for cheese making.

Our dairy operation is ‘regenerative’ for our ecosystem and has very high environmental and animal welfare standards:

Pasture grazing from February to December
Grass is measured and grazed on a 3 week rotation
Grass fed Jersey-Friesian cross cows
Multi species leys include clovers and plantains
Minimal use of fossil fuels as cows ‘walk the grass into the milk tank’
Cowpats are great for insects and birds
Manure and trampling builds healthy topsoil
GHG production is minimised by our covered slurry lagoon

We currently have around 650 cows in milk plus around 400 youngstock. Converting sunshine and rain into healthy dairy products!

FaREWELL Video of our Luing cow herd

We pay particular attention to herd health:

We are a closed herd and being surrounded by water our cattle do not go “nose to nose” with stock from neighbouring farms. They are watered from our borehole, which is a sustainable supply of water.
We only use antibiotics and wormers if we absolutely have to for animal welfare.

Bull calves are reared on farm and then sold to enter the food chain.

Our heifers are reared outside on farm as soon as they can be weaned onto grass and they will be grown on so that they calve at 24 months.