David is proud of the family’s ability to achieve longevity in the milking herd, alongside productivity, with a replacement rate of only 16%.
“Attention to detail in all aspects of nutrition and herd management has been key to the success and progress of the herd at Boclair,” continues Christina. “David and John consider everything very carefully before making any change on their farm. As a result, it is only clear, well-informed decisions, that will really benefit the herd, that are made and the success of these decisions can assessed by the excellent productivity and quality of their stock.”
The Brewster family is well known for breeding good cows and the family has always run a pedigree Holstein herd, with David and John’s father a past President of Holstein UK. In 2017, the Boclair Herd was named Holstein UK Premier Pedigree Herd, the first Scottish herd to ever win the award.
“As a breeder, this is the award you would love to win,” says David. The previous year, David and John also won the prestigious Master Breeder Award for the second time; an award that can only be won every 10 years. As a result, there is a good market for the Boclair genetics, which now forms a significant part of the business with a number of heifers sold at Carlisle and privately throughout the year.
When asked about the management change the Brewsters were seeking from installing robots, David explains the difference the move to robotic milking has made: “With less rigidity around milking, we now have more time to focus on managing the cows; freeing us up to assess and act on the increased data we receive via the robots and heat detection monitors. It’s not about doing less work, but concentrating efforts in the right areas and being able to be more responsive when it’s needed.”