17 December 2008

CREAM, one of several student-led enterprise management projects, at CAFREs Greenmount Campus provides Higher National Diploma Agriculture and Agricultural Technology Degree students with the unique opportunity of  managing a high genetic merit Holstein herd.  The herd is milked three times a day, with students carrying out the herd management and routine tasks including milking and  feeding.

Recently the students leading the project hosted a visit from their friends and family. At the event the guests were given an insight into the day to day life of a CREAM student at Greenmount. The students explained that they were organised into four management teams, feeding, breeding, finance and promotion, and milking and health.  

The herd has a current rolling herd performance of 9917 litres at 3.93 percent butterfat, 3.14 percent protein, somatic cell count of 81,000 cells/mL and 83,000 CFU/mL (Bactoscan).  Current margin over concentrate is 17 pence/litre or £1685/cow.  

CREAM student Peter Gibson HND 1 (Dromore, Co Down) and his guests.

A successful evening was rounded off with a light supper and a chance to discuss the evenings events.  Charlie Kilpatrick (Farm Director) and David Mackey (CAFRE Dairy Technologist) discuss the unique project with the family of HND1 student Thomas Jamison.