Looking for ideas to improve dairy farm profitability and also improve farm life, is what the members of the Mid Cornwall Dairy Focus Group were looking for when they travelled to Dorset on a study tour.

"The group which is part of the Grassland Challenge project, visited three different but highly profitable farms," said Victoria Westbrooke, the groups extension officer.

As a result of the trip, members plan to discuss calving cows outdoors, the amount and timing of nitrogen fertiliser applications, the spread of calving, soil fertility and aerators, feed costs and share-farming at future group meetings. The overall aim of the group is to lift farm profitability and have more time for non-farming activities and family life.

A high producing, 8,232 L/cow year-round calving herd, owned by Dave Chaloner showed that high pasture utilisation can be combined with concentrates to achieve high farm profitability. The herd was utilising approximately 9.2tDM/ha pasture, 1.5t concentrate per cow and 1.3t per cow of maize silage. Of the cows diet 63% came from pasture and 20% from concentrates and the remainder from maize silage.

Dave achieved the high pasture utilisation by closely monitoring his pastures to ensure the right quality and quantity of grass for the herd.

Rob and Tracey Studley, the second farmers visited, were very clear about what their family wanted from farming and then looked for ways of achieving these goals. When the Studleys returned to the home farm, the aim was for Mr and Mrs Studley senior to remain on the home farm, but not be needed for full-time farm work.

The Studley's clear family goals have lead to their current farming system of once-a-day milking. Rob and Tracey wanted time to spend with their young family and have time to fine-tune the management of the farm. This required the equivalent of a full-time staff member, or alternatively once-a-day milking. With the profitability of both options budgeted to be the same, the Studleys opted for once-a- day milking, and are now in their first season.

A simple farm system was the aim of all the farms visited. George Holmes, the third farm the group visited, had a policy of owning the minimum machinery possible on his farm. He uses self feed silage to lower both the machinery and labour requirements and uses contractors when ever possible.

The next meeting of the Mid Cornwall Dairy Focus Group will be held on Wednesday, September 7, at 11 am on Peter Warne's farm, Bodmin.