Growing smarter not bigger

Improving efficiencies and embracing new opportunities has always been Andrew and Nicky Branton’s mindset on their Tiverton dairy farm. But this approach has been reinvigorated since their children Izzy and Matthew joined the business.

“My parents worked hard to ensure that there were opportunities for me and my brothers to farm, and so I always wanted to be able to offer the same for our children,” says Andrew.

The Brantons run a compact but efficient herd of 90 cows plus followers on 135 acres of owned and 40 acres of rented land. Their focus was never on size, but instead on doing better with what they have by improving yields, being efficient with labour, and saving cash into investments.

Investing in efficiency

Over the years, they have invested in several ways to lower costs and keep the farm profitable. Putting in cow and machinery tracks means that they can graze from February to October: “Getting the cows out earlier and being able to graze when others cannot has certainly saved us money.”

A slurry lagoon with umbilical pumping gear has allowed them to make better use of slurry and cut fertiliser costs, while installing renewable energy sources has provided an additional income stream and saved them up to a third on their electricity bill. For their forage maize, Andrew and son Matthew have been trialling direct drilling and undersowing with grass, forage rape, and herbal leys.

“We’ve always tried to make decisions ahead of the curve to keep the farm efficient and profitable. Learning from others and bringing new ideas back home has always been our ethos, and we’ve tried to instil this approach into our children too.”

The next generation

While the couple’s three children were always encouraged to find their own path and try other career paths, two of their children have since returned to the farm: “Izzy came to work with us at 22 and was made a partner at 25, and Matthew will also be made a partner when he turns 25. They are already challenging us to do things differently and keep the farm moving forward which is really exciting.”

Since Izzy became a partner, they have supported her decision to breed Pro Cross into the milking herd: “Our shared vision for the herd is grass-based, so we wanted to breed cows that are robust and easy to care for with solid feet and good fertility.

“In the future, Izzy and Matthew would like to increase the herd size to 150 cows so now we are exploring opportunities to facilitate this and build long-term plans for the future of the farm.”

Securing the future

Planning for the future of the farm was always important to the Brantons. They have secured accommodation for all three children, including their other daughter Emily, who works away from the farm. Andrew and Nicky have also contributed to their own pensions so they can retire out of the business when the time is right.

“It is a privilege to have our children so interested and keen to farm, and we are proud to have created a business that they want to be part of,” concludes Andrew.

Image: (Andrew Branton2)

Caption: The Branton Family: Caius Hill, Iris Hill, Izzy Branton, Matthew Branton, Daisy Sharland, Andrew Branton, Nicky Branton, Emily Branton