Phil started the Hailsham Herd in 1959. The Friesian Holstein herd has several cow families, some still going strong today such as the Kate, Ida, Teena, Biddy and Rowena families. They all have their own character, some are very quiet, and some are really bossy! Within the herd, the cows have their own social structure, and pecking order.
We know the cows individually, who their mother was, at what stage the cow is in her lactation, how old she is and so on. We can even recognise each cow purely by its markings! The herd is a closed herd which means we rear all our own dairy cows from our own cow families, and do not buy in replacement heifers (young cows) or cows from other farms.
We consider the cows' welfare and health are paramount. Cows in a conventional herd produce nearly 50% more milk than our cows. This means our Kates, Idas, Biddys and Rowenas and Rubys are not under so much pressure and stress.
Our cows benefit from this lower yield and lower stress by not being prone to stress related cattle health problems, such as mastitis and lameness. Indeed, our cows on average live to be eight or nine years old, compared to the national average of six years old.
THE MILK PRODUCTION CYCLE
When a new female (heifer) Friesian calf is born, it is reared on the farm. When it is mature enough, the heifer is put into calf, and has her first calf at about two and a half years old. After calving, her new milk production begins with her first lactation.
Phil and Steve milk her twice a day. The lactation lasts for ten months. She then has her holiday, two months on the ancient pastures of the Pevensey Levels and a rest from being milked. This is known as her dry period, before calving again and starting the next lactation. A dairy cow has one calving and one lactation each year.