Farmers Weekly Awards 2015: Farm Adviser of the Year

Alastair Hayton

Synergy Farm Health, Dorset

Specialist vet Alastair Hayton is at the cutting-edge of dairy health. He is pioneering a new TB test and has a string of papers and a book to his name.

He is a consultant for two major supermarket chains with a role in advising them on hygiene and milk quality, and still finds time for his farming clients.

Two of these have been named Farmers Weekly Dairy Farmer of the Year and he has advised the most recent winner, Anthony Gothard, on expansion.

Alastair was instrumental in merging two vet practices to create a 27-strong farm vet team, which is now the second biggest in the country.

The practice boasts 220 dairy clients from Exeter to Swanage and as far north as Bridgewater, and Alastair personally looks after 13 clients, including four organic milk producers.

His focus is on all aspects of dairy cow health, including nutrition, lameness, fertility, mastitis and youngstock rearing.

Alastair is a leading light in the development of a new bovine tuberculosis test for the UK, which is used for camelids, such as goats and deer, and which has been given tacit approval for validation work on bovines.

This Enferplex serological test will give a fuller picture of the disease and help farmers get out of TB restrictions quicker in endemic areas, he says.

“TB is the biggest single obstacle to our dairy clients, so we see the test as potentially providing significant benefits to the control of bovine TB in the UK,” he adds.

Alastair has worked with dairy farmer Anthony Gothard for nine years, makes a weekly visit to the farm and the pair usually speak twice a week on herd health.

When the Somerset floods came in the winter of 2012-13, Anthony had the dilemma of getting out of milk, downsizing or expanding.

The decision to expand was made – but only with the help of Alastair, who Anthony describes as one of the top vets in the country.

During his time advising the farm, the calving index has moved into the desired range of 380-385 days for maximum yields, and three of Anthony’s cows are producing more than 20,000 litres of milk a year.

A five-year plan for the farm was devised with Alastair’s help and aims for 800 cows, 600 youngstock and an average cow yield of 15,000 litres/year.

“We had the security of knowing we had an expert on board when we were expanding, and the wealth of his knowledge is unbelievable,” Anthony says.

The last word comes from Anthony, who produces 27,000 litres of milk daily for Sainsbury’s with a team of 20 milking three-times-a-day at Slough Court Dairy Farm, Stoke St Gregory, some 10 miles east of Taunton.

He says that advisers don’t stay on his farm very long unless they perform, and Alastair has been there the longest. Enough said.

Finalists

Charles Mayson

Cross Compliance Solutions, Herefordshire

Charles has built a thriving business that helps farmers deal with cross-compliance bureaucracy. It is in such demand that he has now trained up 20 staff to support him in delivering this unique service to 400 farming clients.

Iwan Price

Cymru Agricultural & Rural Advice, Carmarthenshire

Iwan is playing a crucial role in maximising the potential of dairy, beef, sheep and arable farming businesses across south Wales. He and two partners have developed a business of 400 clients from their own initial investment.

Sponsor’s message

“We were really impressed with the knowledge and practical implementation of technology to create value for clients shown by Alastair and we are delighted he has been awarded Farm Adviser of the Year.”

Richard Sunderland, managing director, Bunn Fertiliser (maker of Koch Advanced Nitrogen)