We have a team of highly trained Youngstock Specialists covering the whole of the UK and are here to help you improve the health and performance of your calves along with your rearing procedures and systems. From testing colostrum to monitoring and weighing your calves, our team are here to help advise and provide you with the best solutions.
Our Youngstock team have a wealth of knowledge and experience and can help with a wide range of youngstock related areas including:
My family milk a herd of 280 Holsteins in Long Sutton, Somerset. When I'm not at my day job, I enjoy helping at home. I joined ForFarmers five years ago and during the first year I spent time learning about all the different areas and departments that are within ForFarmers. I then took on the role of youngstock specialist, as I’ve always had a particular interest in this area. I cover Somerset, Devon and Cornwall and I'm also the National VITA Team Leader.
Call: 07826 534344 Email: ann.coombes@forfarmers.eu
In contrast to Ann, I am based in Ayrshire and cover Scotland and Cumbria. I have been a youngstock specialist with ForFarmers for three years and enjoy visiting customers across the region. For me, the best part of the job is working with customers and helping them to achieve their goals. I get great satisfaction seeing the physical difference and improvements in the calves, youngstock and overall system.
Call: 07500 09 70 94 Email: michael.duncan@forfarmers.eu
I was brought up on a family farm in West Wales. I have been the ForFarmers Youngstock Specialist for Wales for over three years now and been in young animal nutrition for over twenty years. Maximising early growth rates in youngstock is paramount to achieving a profitable enterprise. ForFarmers’ complete youngstock range give me the flexibility to select the optimum solution for each individual customers on farm challenges. As a result, customers are able to achieve their desired results within their systems, efficiently and cost effectively.
Call: 07393 799560 Email: peter.whittal-williams@forfarmers.eu
I joined ForFarmers in June 2021 as the Calf and Youngstock Technician, covering the South of the UK. Prior to this I have been working in the industry for 6 years, on a variety of dairy farms in Somerset and a calf rearing unit. What I enjoy most about my role at ForFarmers, is working alongside our customers to maximise their animals' growth rates and overall performance, as healthier livestock achieve greater lifetime returns.
Call: 07554 407834 Email: eliza.boyce@forfarmers.eu
I joined ForFarmers in October 2019 and have a dual role as a Ruminant & Youngstock Specialist, covering Cheshire and Staffordshire. I have a BSc Animal Science degree which led me to focus in ruminant nutrition. I am particularly interested in transition cow nutrition, I often find this period is neglected as the cow isn’t seen as being 'productive' but yet it is the most critical period in getting her ready for her next lactation and it also has a significant impact on calf performance.
Call: 07802 173124 Email: amy.wilson@forfarmers.eu
Having grown up on a beef and arable farm in Northern Ireland, I have always had a keen interest in agriculture. After graduating university, I worked on a 1,400 cow dairy unit in New Zealand and over time I have developed a particular interest in youngstock rearing and how to maximise a farm’s profitability by rearing high quality herd replacements. In 2018, I joined ForFarmers as a Youngstock Specialist and I now cover Lancashire and Yorkshire. I am also interested in transition cow nutrition and its significant impact on calf performance.
Call: 07802 173043 Email: emma.moore@forfarmers.eu
I joined ForFarmers two years ago after completing my degree in agriculture at university. During my studies, I spent a year calf rearing where I really enjoyed running trials to see how different criteria affected calf performance. After graduating, I secured a job with ForFarmers and became a youngstock specialist. What really motivates me is seeing the benefits and improvments of adjusting a youngstock system and this help customers achieve their end goals. I cover a large area stretching from Dorset to Kent and enjoy seeing different farms and systems during my visits.
Call: 07825 874961 Email: emily.hayes@forfarmers.eu
After developing a successful, high-yielding dairy herd, two Dorset-based producers are continuing to push for improvements across all aspects of their business to realise their cows’ full potential.
Developing a simple, lower cost system is helping one Cumbria-based dairy herd to build a sustainable and efficient business that’s fit for the future – and the next generation.