Dairy special: Robots relieve the workload on Staffordshire family farm

Moving from a conventional parlour to three milking robots is helping one Staffordshire farming family boost milk yields and relieve workloads

clock • 6 min read
(L-r) Will and Rachael Shaw, with Pete and Lizzie Cotton
Image:

(L-r) Will and Rachael Shaw, with Pete and Lizzie Cotton

The Cotton family have 195 milkers in the Chasmar Holstein herd which calve all year round at Blakeley Farm, Whiston, with a similar number of followers. The 121-hectare (300-acre) farm has been in...

To continue reading...

Already a member? Login for full access.

Login

New to Farmers Guardian? Register for 1 free article per week or become a member for unlimited access to essential farming news and insights.

article-img-580x358

 

More on Dairy

Dairy Talk - Ifan Roberts: "Calving has been going relatively well this spring without too many issues"

Dairy Talk - Ifan Roberts: "Calving has been going relatively well this spring without too many issues"

Ifan Roberts is a new entrant who has established a contract farming agreement milking 500 block calving cows in Cheshire, and is aiming to improve the land farmed, encourage others to participate in the industry and deliver attractive returns to his stakeholders

clock 28 April 2026 • 4 min read
OPINION: Extending environmental permitting to the dairy sector is both unfair and unfeasible

OPINION: Extending environmental permitting to the dairy sector is both unfair and unfeasible

Livestock specialist Katie Fallon looks at Defra's proposed consultation for extending environmental permitting to the cattle sector

clock 22 April 2026 • 2 min read
Maximising milk solids: Inside the high performing Redhouse Holstein herd

Maximising milk solids: Inside the high performing Redhouse Holstein herd

Faced with limited opportunity for herd expansion, the Irwin family have turned to improving milk quality in their autumn-calving Redhouse Holsteins herd

clock 22 April 2026 • 7 min read