Producing Milk in the UK.

The 2.3 million dairy cows in the UK, each produce an average of 5900 litres per annum.

Half of the milk is used for liquid consumption the rest being processed, into things like yoghurt, cheese and butters. Use in cheese making accounts for half of all processed use.

Bishop Burton College.

The filming on this page was taken at Bishop Burton College who kindly allowed us to film thier new dairy.

Bishop Burton College Dairy Enterprise - details.

Bishop Burton College have 145 Holstein cows producing 1.3 million litres of milk per year. The herd calves all year round in order to provide a level production pattern to meet local demand. The herd is of a high genetic type and managed on a high input:high output system.

All replacements are home bred and reared. The 2007/8 winter ration consists of maize, grass and lucerne silage, haylage, bought in stock feed, potatoes and concetrates. Lucerne is a recent introduction with the first crop planted in April 2007. This perennial crop is drought resistant and fixes its own nitrogen, being a close relative of clover.

In Spring 2008, a new milking parlour will be installed - the final stage of a total upgrade of the dairy.

Typical dairy cow production cycle.

These are my suggestions or ideas based on how I would teach this lesson and is based around the provided videos, of course feel free just to use the video and your own lesson plan.... see further

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