Page 75 - Demo

S H O R T H O R N
Dairy
can prosper, you do not have to inherit a
big farm to succeed, you can build your
own dreams and make them work.”
Shorthorns have always been at the
heart of Florences plans and even though
the Nightingale herd is in its infancy the
family history is rooted in their love of
the Dairy Shorthorns and Albion cattle.
This passion for native breeds stems from
her Grandmother, Grandfather and Great
Grandfather whose passion for rare
breeds has been passed down the
generations. “The Shorthorns are ideal
for the milking enterprise on this farm
because they are low input and great
converters off pasture. Here the farm is
on a higher tier grazing stewardship
because of the chalk downs which means
we have to graze extensively rather than
mob”. Grazing is all about balance and
the low input system means that the
breed are perfect at maintaining the
regenerative structure whilst supporting
the diversity of wildlife. There are
wildflower rich chalk grasslands that sit
amongst the grass and herbal leys and
they have to be managed
sympathetically but the long period of
low intensive grazing also promotes
dung beetles and healthier soils.
Stocking rates are kept low so that stock
can stay in one location for months
before rotation. The system here is
tailored for ease of management.
“Farming is constantly changing and
challenging us to step up and take care of
the countryside and the animals. We take
care of them so they take care of us. Its a
bond that is like no other.” Farmers will
always be at the forefront of
environmental change and should be
rewarded for their ambition to protect
and encourage biodiversity as
countryside stewards and Florence
believes that the native breeds have an
important part to play in this change.
“They certainly go hand in hand with the
higher tier scheme here”. Because of this
Florence’s breeding priorities have
changed. Florence believes that a purer
Dairy Shorthorn will perform better off
the hard grazing and minimal
concentrates. Cows graze all year round
and are only housed for three months at
night in the winter. The breed is so
efficient at grazing that they are the
logical choice for Florence. One of the
other factors that makes Florence such a
champion of the breed is her sense of a
Shorthorn community. “The breed feels
like a family, we unite as Shorthorns
breeders because we all have the
invested interest to promote the breed, to
preserve the history and to plan for the
future.”
The Nightingale herd began in 2017 when
the family moved to the new farm.
Florence wanted a clean break from the
Attwoods prefix which was their home in
Hampshire. Cow families have been
introduced over the years from the Cotley
dispersal, the Fletching herd as well as
the Maxton and Rodway dispersals. In
2002 the first Attwoods Shorthorn was
born, Rosebud, since then Florence’s
passion has spiralled! The Rosebud
family is still a prominent family in the
herd but the current herd matriarch is
•
Farm, Alkham, Dover, Kent
•
Dairy herd 30 head
•
Albion Suckler herd 70 head
•
Chilton Farmyard B&B
•
80 acre farm with 70 additional
grazing
•
System extensive grazing Higher
Tier Stewardship
•
Mobile Milk & Milkshake Vending
Machine
FARM FACTS
Attwoods Tabia. A more recent purchase
has been Survival Clarrisse who Florence
bought from the Rare Breeds Survival
Trust. Currently Dalton Mossybank is
running with the heifers but breeding is
usually tailored to each cow. In calf
heifers are mainly by Oxton Finna, Oxton
Fever and Bushmills Jazz and should be
due to calve in the late Winter and early
Spring. The aim is to block calve in the
Summer and Winter to keep a consistent
milk yield for the vending machine.
Florences newest cap to her extensive
resume is being one of this years Nature
Friendly Farming Network (NFFN)
Farming Champions. NFFN is an
organisation led by farmers all over the
UK who have a passion for nature
friendly and sustainable farming. “I am
so excited to join the team and spread
the word”. You can not deny that
landscapes are shaped by farming
hands, maintained and cherished by
those who work and understand the
countryside best. So who better to raise
awareness and share this knowledge
than farmers! The NFFN recognise this
and strive to work for policies to support
farmers in their efforts to improve soil
nutrition and wildlife habitats whilst
addressing the climate issues and food
security.
So now that the six year pipe dream has
finale come to fruition whats next for
Florence? Expansion? Adding products
made from milk? Skies the limit I guess!
“Nothing gives me greater satisfaction
than knowing my cows, milking them
and selling that milk to the public. I
think that is the same for all dairy
farmers. Once you have milked cows no
other farming compares; its not a choice
its a lifestyle, its that relationship
between you and the cow that only a few
get the privilege to appreciate. I am one
of the lucky ones”
Shorthorn 75
Cattle on the move