Grant brings ‘excellent’ improvements to youngstock handling

For his youngstock, spring block-calver Rupert Major installed an “excellent” curved handling facility instead of an “average” one to meet the requirements for Defra funding two years ago.

Farmers Weekly caught up with Rupert to find out what system he chose and how he is getting a return on investment as a result of this decision.

See also: Tips on designing races and handling cattle

Why did you install a heifer handling system?

Two years ago we had taken on more ground for our youngstock and there was no setup there, and we didn’t have any mobile handling system. When the heifers were on our home grazing platform, we would run them back to our setup by the parlour.

Although this new farm is next door, it would take three people about two hours to get heifers across two roads and to the parlour – it’s almost 3km.

Starting from scratch, what were your requirements?

We wanted pens that could hold 200 dry cows, three-way drafting, a six-cow herringbone race, a seven-to-eight-cow straight race, and a crush with scales.

For simplicity, we bought a fixed, cattle livestock system that does all age groups.
We can get more heifers in the setup because they are smaller – under six months they can turn around, unfortunately – and we can now hold all of our youngstock if necessary.

Stock boarding to encourage cow flow © MAG/Shirley Macmillan

Which features are most useful?

It’s been designed by someone who knows about cows. The 180deg curved forcing gate brings animals to the straight race.

Boarded sides help with cow flow (which we probably wouldn’t have done if we’d made our own).

The three-way drafting is very helpful because the bulk of heifers walk straight on, but we can cut out an animal that might be underweight to the left and one with a bad eye to the right. You wouldn’t be without drafting facilities.

The other good thing is the herringbone race after they exit the crush, as it means we can row-up heifers for TB testing or serving. You can only do one at a time in the crush.

Tell us about the site

Site is important: we have put this in a field that is in the middle of our grazing. We had to lay a concrete base and a water supply, but it has no roof.

It’s next to a track, so all we have to do is run heifers along this and turn them into the handling facility. We can also use it for dry cows in winter.

© MAG/Shirley Macmillan

Have you added anything else to the system?

The crush is one we already had and we have put in weigh bars which plug into the computer. All our animals are electronically identified and this means the scales recognise them.

How much time have you saved?

It takes us 1.5 hours for three people to vaccinate 180 heifers. We can draft and inseminate 30 bulling heifers in one hour.

Was the extra investment worth it?

We probably could have built a very simple and functional handling setup, but to qualify for the grant it was a higher spec and the net cost was no more than the budget option I’d have done myself.

I could have saved money, but wouldn’t have achieved the same operating slickness or safety – for humans and livestock – it’s great and very quick.

© MAG/Shirley Macmillan

What’s the payback time for you?

We got 30% funded.

We couldn’t operate on that farm without handling facilities, it’s vital infrastructure. If things are easy to do, people do them. My staff think it’s quick and efficient to use.

Good facilities are good for staff, they are time efficient and it drives good stockmanship.

The grant scheme is open again, what’s your advice to other farmers?

If you can foresee that you need handling, apply for the grant, because it is a good quality spec and it will, in the end, be an advantage.

The Farming Equipment and Technology Fund 2025 is open for applications on 29 May. Grants range from £1,000 to £25,000. Closing date is midday on 10 July. For more information visit the government’s fund guidance page.