British Friesian Herd of the Year Announced

The Petham herd have been crowned as the British Friesian Herd of the Year. Combining classification with production, the award recognises the UK's most productive British Friesian herd.

The Castle family have been dairy farmers for seven generations and have been at Debden Court Farm in Canterbury since 1908. The 200 head Petham herd was restocked in 1954 with British Friesians and the descendants are still in the herd today.

As a closed herd, the Castle’s pride themselves on maintaining good fertility levels and a low cell as well as having no transferable diseases. All female calves enter the herd as replacements ,with male calves being  finished and sold off directly to slaughter as bull beef. The bulk of the milk is sold to Freshways with a small amount going to a local artisan cheese maker.

Averaging 8,000 litres, the herd is grazed through the summer and housed in a straw yard during the colder months on a diet of maize and grass silage.

Camellia, Columbine, Cornflower and Crocus are amongst some of the prominent families in the herd. In total, 18 cows are classified as Excellent, 61 as Very Good, and 71 as Good.