Dynamic milk producers reject milk quota leasing

摘要

Helen Lawson reports on the regional winners of the NMR/RABDF national dairy championships who have decided to halve cow numbers rather than lease in quota. Richard and Jane Skelton make a dynamic couple. After eight years of sheer hard work on a small, Cumbrian, family unit they have achieved their aim of building up the Emeraldgill herd of pedigree Holsteins from a traditional herd of Friesians, increasing yields by 4,000 litres to an average 9,660 litres, while simultaneously improving margin overconcentrate by ￡900 to ￡1,500 a cow. Their efforts have earned them the northern regional award in this year's NMR/RABDF national dairy championships for production and inspection, as well as a string of red rosettes and a sideboard saturated with silverware.