Higher Manor Farm

Rob, Lin & Maddy

 

Higher Manor Farm is just outside Weymouth on the Dorset coast.

 

We converted to a Kiwi pasture-based block-calving system in the 90's and used LIC genetics for 20 years.

​

Rob went on a career-defining trip to NZ with Mike Murphy, Paul Bird, the Grasshoppers & Irish guys in 1999. An amazing and inspiring trip, travelling with, and also meeting great people!

(Rob was the only Englishman on the trip, just before the '99 World Cup!)

 

In 2000 we got together with our neighbour Sue & set up a share-farming agreement. We ran a 240 cow spring-calving herd, moving to 1x day milking in 2005.

​

Sue retired in 2016 and sold her farm. We sold the dairy herd but we retained the youngstock to continue to rear. 

​

Since then we have bought cross-bred calves from friends in Discussion Groups to rear and sell in-calf, splitting them into Spring & Autumn calving blocks.

​

As well as knowing the farms and stock very well, as part of the agreement we only buy calves that have been BVD tagged & tested, and are from Johne's -ve dams.

 

Over the last few years we have been focusing on more diverse swards, including cocksfoot and chicory. 

These are deeper-rooting and so help drought-resistance, soil structure and organic matter, and uptake of minerals in the soil.

​