The family farm is run by Tom and Elizabeth Browne, son Simon and cousin Michael. They employ four full-time staff and will have also have people working during the night until the end of calving. Greenhills are currently calving 10 to 18 cows per day, but this will increase to 20. So far the odds are in their favour, with 46 heifers and 27 bulls.
The family farm is run by Tom and Elizabeth Browne, son Simon and cousin Michael. They employ four full-time staff and will have also have people working during the night until the end of calving.
Greenhills are currently calving 10 to 18 cows per day, but this will increase to 20. So far the odds are in their favour, with 46 heifers and 27 bulls.
"We started around two weeks early but we hope to finish in six. It has taken a while for us to compact the calving season," Simon told the Farmers Journal. "I'm with the animals during the day, while the night calving staff will keep an eye on them overnight. The night staff live in cabins near the farm during calving. We also have cameras in the house."
The calves are taken away from their mothers within hours. Greenhills plan on keeping 220 heifers and will be sending calves to the mart every week from now on.
In 1945, Tom Browne's parents moved from west Cork to Killeagh with just 15 cows. When Tom took over the family farm in 1975, the Brownes were milking 200 cows. Today the Brownes farm is 486ha (1,200 acres) in total, of which 166ha is leased.
Read our in-depth report and video on Greenhill's Farm here. You can also follow the farm on Twitter
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