Middlefields Farm

Pickstock Telford is a family run abattoir and meat processing facility with over 40 years ’ experience in the meat industry . Over the years we have developed personal relationships with UK dairy and beef farmers . We are continually looking to procure livestock , offering fair pricing , prompt payment within 3 days via bacs or cheque , and transport can be arranged nationally . We believe the secret to our success is a honest , fair and professional approach to business . This is why farmers trust us to deliver competitive returns consistently . 100 % of our beef is procured from British farmers .

Every member of our expert team is passionate about what we do , and ensure animal welfare and quality assurance is our number one priority at all times .

PREMIUM PAID FOR ORGANIC COWS

PREMIUM PAID FOR CERTIFIED ANGUS COWS

WE ALWAYS REQUIRE DAIRY AND BEEF COWS FROM FARMERS THROUGHOUT THE UK .

Contact your local Pickstock representative below ... Will Paterson - All enquiries 07974 400515 Alan Jarvis - North 07984 008820 Richard Harrison - East Midlands & South 07772 551694 Paul Narloch - Cheshire , Staffordshire & Shropshire 07985 248629 & 01948 662891 Matt Narloch - Cheshire , Staffordshire & Shropshire 07958 318951 Gareth Parker - South West & Midland 07984 006225 Hefin Vaughan - Mid , South & West Wales 07943 286101 John Williams - North Wales 07836 568033

Chris Berry talks with Andrew Avison at Melmerby

»»

EVERYONE IN FARMING and even those who aren ’ t will have heard of the plight of dairy farmers in the past two years . After hitting the heights of 33p per litre the market has been at 18 pence and even less for some . It has been a tough time and for Andrew Avison of Middlefields Farm , Melmerby near Leyburn , it has proved extremely challenging .

Fortunately , Andrew has maintained his opinion that the price would start heading back upwards , as it has recently , and has stuck to his guns over all the lessons he has learned since changing the farm over from sheep and dairy to a pure dairy operation five years ago .

‘ We ’ re farming just shy of 600 acres and we had 1100 sheep and 150 cows . There was a flock of pure

Swaledales and an early lambing flock of Texel X ewes that my wife Gail misses so we lambed 50 Texel X ewes in 2016 . We ’ d had 120-150 dairy cows for the past 20 years and I decided at first to go up to 220 and halve the number of sheep . When we got to 250 I thought about cutting back on all the sheep . We reached 300 and at the time of your visit we have 320 cows in the herd with 270 milkers . I ’ m now looking at getting to 400 cows and we should reach that in 2017 on a rising market .’

When the bottom fell out of the market , Andrew took some big decisions . The first of them was to drop off from three times a day milking .

‘ My thought was if the milk wasn ’ t paying that I might as well send half as much and that way also cut my costs . Our consultant had made the

METCALFE FARMS AGRICULTURAL & HAULAGE CONTRACTORS

Metcalfe Farms are pleased to be working with Andrew Avison and wish him continued success

Plant & Machinery Delivered Across the UK and Europe

T : 01969 622193 M : 07738 932664 E : richard @ metcalfefarms . com Metcalfe Farms , Washfold Farm , Leyburn , North Yorkshire , DL8 5JZ

66 Dec / Jan 2017 www . farmers-mart . co . uk