Askham Bryan, the college for outdoor careers, has increased its Dairy Herd by over 50% from 165 to 250 cows to create a learning environment reflective of modern farming trends.

Whilst the average UK herd is 113 cows, in order for long term sustainability, herds will become larger as this enables profit margins to grow, whilst fixed costs remain the same.

A different management approach is used and taught at Askham Bryan as a result of the increased herd numbers.  Cow cubicles have replaced loose housing with a saving on space and straw.  The increased herd also increases the work load enabling students to have more hands on experience of milking, extra husbandry tasks, more calves to handle plus additional fieldwork

John Wray, Section Head for Agriculture

“At Askham Bryan, we want to create an outdoor learning environment that reflects developments in farming and agriculture to ensure our students have the relevant skills and training for the farms and jobs of tomorrow. 

The significant financial investment in increasing the Dairy herd demonstrates our commitment to providing the best outdoor classroom and training for agriculture”

Find out more about Askham Bryan Agriculture and other Outdoor courses on www.askham-bryan.ac.uk