Download - Jonathan Caygill Manor House Farm, Rylstone · PDF fileJonathan Caygill Manor House Farm, Rylstone Jonathan Caygill lives at Manor House Farm near Rylstone in the south east of the

VoicesFromtheLand,2017.InterviewbyAnneHinkleyandMartinGarsideArticleandPhotographs©HarrietFraserandRobFraser

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JonathanCaygill

ManorHouseFarm,Rylstone

JonathanCaygilllivesatManorHouseFarmnearRylstoneinthesoutheastoftheYorkshireDalesNationalPark,notfarfromSkipton.TheoldfarmhouseisnestledamongtreesandfieldsandlookseasttowardstherisinglandofHallFell,OutFellandRylstoneFell.There’sathousandacresoflandhere,withthehigherlandwheretheNorthCountryCheviotsheepgrazeincontrasttotheimprovedlowerfields,wherethecowsgrazeandthesheeparebroughtinatlambingtime.ThefarmsupportsaroundtwohundredHolsteinFriesiandairycows,andsendsmilk,everydayoftheyear,toDalesDairies.Thereisalsoasmallherdofsucklercows,whichhaveonecalfayearandkeepthatcalfwiththem,andbeefLuingcows.LuingcattleoriginatedontheislandofLuing,offthewestcoastofScotland;thebreednowisacrosswithbeefshorthornandsuitstheDaleslandscapeandclimatewell.

ManorHouseispartoftheBoltonAbbeyestateandhasformanyyearsbeenrunbytenantfarmers.Jonathanwasbornhere,andnowholdsthetenancy.‘Bothmyparentswerefarmers.Allmyuncleswerefarmersandallmygrandparentswere.’Jonathanownsabout250acresofadditionallandatKilnsey,tothenorthinWharfedale.‘We’reonmillstonehereinRylstone,andKilnseyislimestone.There’sadifferentmineralcontent.Ifyouareonlimestoneallthetime,youcanstrugglewithdeficiencies,ifyouaremillstone,youcanstrugglewithdeficiencies,soitisagoodmixforthem.’Asanadditionalprecautionagainstmineraldeficiency,andtoboostthehealthofhisdairycows,Jonathanmixessileagewithspecificmeasurementsoftwelveingredients.‘Ifyoufedcowshay,it’stoodry,andallthenutrients,whenitsdried,arelosttotheatmosphere.Whenwemakethesileagewe’retrying

totrapthegoodnessatarealisticlevelthat’smoreattainable.’Withtwohundredcowstofeed,Jonathanneedstohavethirteentonnesoffoodavailableeachday.Somesileageispreparedonthefarm,andadditionalfeedisdeliveredregularly.Aswetalkintheyard,wehearthesoundofacowexpellingmuckandJonathanremarksonit.‘IfIfeedmycowsright,thenwhatwillcomeouttheotherendwillberight.Icanhear-Idon’tevenneedtolookatit.I’mjusttunedintoit.AndIwanttoknowifit’snotrightandwhyit’snotright.’


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Onatypicalmorningonthefarm,Jonathanwakesearlyandoverseesthemilkingprocess.Thecowsenterthemilkingshedsinbatchesof24wheretheyarehookeduptoindividualmilkingdevices.John,whohasbeenonthefarmformanyyears,isinchargehere,checkingeachcowandcleaningtheuddersbeforeandaftermilking.Infourorfiveminutes,acowcangiveuptothirtylitresofmilk.Whenmilkingisover,thecowswalkashortdistancetoacoveredshedtoeat.Aftereating,theywander,seeminglyentirelycontent,toanotherbarnwheretheyliedownamongststraw,torestandruminate.JonathanmakesananalogywithSaturdaynightdrinkerswhenhetalksabouthiscows’behaviour.‘Ilikemycowstobealcoholic!Butwereversefoodandbeer.Sowhentheycomeoutfrommilking,thefoodisbeer–Iwantthemtohaveasessiononit.Thenthewater,that’slikethekebab.Theygetthekebab–agoodfreshdrink–thentheygoandliedownandsleepitoff.Thenwhentheywakeup,theygoandhaveanotherdrink,whichisfood,thenanotherkebab,andliedownagain.’Hepatsthesideofacowthat’slyingdown:‘WhenIlookatthiscow,onthelefthandside,here,she’sgotafullrumen.There’satrianglethere–she’sniceandfull.’

Thefarmproduces7000litresofamilkadayfromtwomilkingsessions.‘Wetrytokeepalevelsupplythroughouttheyear.We’resellingtoDalesDairiesatGrassingtonandpeopledrinkmilkeverydayoftheyear,evenChristmasDay.Sowecalveallyearround-wetryandcalvefiveanimalsaweek.’Thispromptsaquestionaboutthemanagementofcalving,whenwithouthumaninterferenceallthecowsmightcalveinthespring.‘It’sjustwhenweservethem-thatdetermineswhentheycalve.Weusedto,andpeoplestilldo,onlycalveinthespringandmakeuseofthegrass.ButallthatdoesisproduceamassiveamountofmilkinSpring.Youdon’tseemilkinEuropelikeyoudooverhere.We’reveryluckyinthiscountrytohavefreshmilklikewedo.That’swhywemanageourcowssotheycalveallyearround.’

We used to only calve inthe spring andmake useof the grass. But all thatdoesisproduceamassiveamountofmilk inSpring.We’re very lucky in thiscountrytohavefreshmilklikewedo.That’swhywemanageourcowssotheycalve all year round. Youdon’t see milk in Europelikeyoudooverhere.


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Thefarmusesartificialinseminationandacarefullytimedschedulesothateachdairycowbecomespregnantroughly85daysaftercalving,thusproducingonecalfayear.Thecowsarekept‘inside’fortenmonthsoftheyear–thisisnotinenclosedbuildingsbutinagatheringofbarnsthatservedifferentpurposes:themilkingshed,thefeedingshed,therestingshed,aratherluxuriousshedwherecowsthatareduetocalvespendseveraldays,andaseparateshedforyoungsters.Inalltheshedsthereisafreeflowofair,withsidesopenandsystemsofdoors,windowsand/orblindsthatcanbeadjusteddependingontheweather.‘YouwereshockedwhenIsaidthey’reinsidefor10monthsbutwhenyoulookatthecowsinside,youseethey’rehappy.IcannotlogisticallyhousethemoutsideonmyfarmbecauseIbackontoafarm,achurcharoadandmyboundary.Butthey’rehappy-theyaresowellcaredforinside.It’sabitlikefree-rangechickens.Theysay‘free-range’andtheyhavethechancetogoout,butalotofthemneverdo.Thecowshaveatotalmixrationwhichhasthesameamountoffood,atthesametimeeveryday-that’swhattheylike.Whentheygoouttograzegrass,inthemorningithasgotdewonit,andtheydon’tlikeitwithdewonit.Andtheydon’tlikeeatinginthedark,theyeatlikemadbeforedusk.Andifit’ssunnyandthetemperatureisabove20o,becauseacowisquiteblack,itimpingesuponthecows-theyneedshade.Soyousee,iftheenvironmentisright,whycowslikestayinginside.’Therearefourtraditionalbarnsonthefarm:oneusedforsheepduringclippingandtheresttohousecalves.Thetraditionaldesignofthebarnsissuitedtotheareaandthestock.‘Thebestcalfhousehasstonewallsandaslateroofandhasahayloft,soittrapsheatin,letstheairthroughandistherighttemperature.’

Manyaspectsofthefarmhavenotchangedmuchinthelastfourorfivedecades.‘We’vedonesomere-seedingofthemeadowland.Althoughthatmightnotseemasifit’salteringthelandscape,itis,intermsofthegrassthatgrows,andthevisualchange.Wemaintainallourdrystonewalls–thirty-fivemilesofdrystonewall.Onceasheepgoesoveragap,allitdoesisencourageittogooverahighergap,andahighergap,andsoon,sowemaintainthewallsallthetime.Nowallhasbeenremoved,nohedgeshavebeenremoved.Sointhatrespectitisprettymuchasis.’

Whilethelandscapeandbuiltfeatureshavechangedlittle,thetechnologyofmilkinghasadvancedsignificantly.Jonathanputshissucklericowstoabullbutthedairycowsareimpregnatedusingartificialinsemination,andtherecentdevelopmentofsexedsemenhasallowedhimtoensurethathisdairycowsareproducingfemalecalves,whichismuchmoreefficientforbusiness.HegetshissemenfromacompanycalledGenus,andhaslearnedagreatdealthroughthem.‘I’vebeenaroundAmerica,Italy,Germany,Ireland,andbroughtthingsI’velearntbacktothefarm.Forinstance,everycalfborngets4litresofcolostrumwithintwohoursofbeingborn.Ialsolearnwhatnottodo.IwentonastudytriptoGermany.Thisguyhadthisfantasticallycleancalvingarea,butitwastooclean,andbeforecalving,thecowswereseparatedoff.Icouldseeitwasupsettingthecow–theyaremuchbettertogether,sowedon’tseparatethem.’

You never stop learning. Icanrememberwhen25-50%wereincalfandwewouldbedelighted. Now, if we arebelow 85%, we thinksomething has gone wrong.It’s just we know so muchmoreaboutcows.


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‘Youneverstoplearning,’Jonathansays.‘WeusedtohaveroutinevisitsoncowfertilityandIcanrememberwhen25-50%wereincalfandwewouldbedelighted.Now,ifwearebelow85%,wethinksomethinghasgonewrong.It’sjustweknowsomuchmoreaboutcows.Andthat’soneoftheironiesaboutit,weknowthecowswantthesameeveryday.Whenthecowsgoouttoeatgrassandit’swetandit’sdryandit’swetandthere’sadroughtandheatandthingslikethat,youstruggletogetthosecowsincalf.Whatyou’vegottounderstand:there’sbadluckandbadmanagement,andifyoudon’tknowthedifferencebetweenthetwoofthem,you’llhavealotofbadluck.’Jonathanmanagesthefarmandworksherewithfourothermen.Butwhataboutwomen–haveattitudestowomeninfarmingchangedoverthelastfewdecades?‘Ifyouwentbacktwentyyears,thevet’spracticewouldn’temploywomen.That’sallchanged.Ontheveterinarycoursenow,itisbetween80-90%women;sothevetstudentsIget,mainly,arewomen.Oneofthebestvetsweeverhadwasalady.Onthefarm,alotofpeopleperceivewomenarebetteratmilkingbecausetheyaremorecaring,andbetteratfeedingcalves,sono,there’snotalotofareaswheretheycan’tbepartofit.Withmodernmachinery,theycandoexactlythesameasmen.’

Wehavebeenwalkingaroundthecows,andpayingattentiontothem,butwealsotalkaboutthesheep,andthelambingpercentages.‘160-164%.That’saboutwhereweareeveryyear.Andtherewon’tbemanytripletsinthat,sothat’sgood.Weusedtolamboutsidebuttheyarenotthebestatlambingthemselves;theyseemtogiveupfornoreason.Weusedtolosetwo-threelambseachnightsowenowlambtheminsideandwehavesixveterinarystudentstohelpeachyear.’Thefarmincreasesitslambingpercentagebymotheringonlambsfromneighbouringfarmswhereshearlings(sheepthatarearound18monthsold,havinghadoneshear)havegivenbirthtotwinsbutarenotstrongenoughtomotherboth.‘Wepickthelambsuponceortwiceadayfromtheotherfarm;sotheyareasyoungaspossible,literallynewly-dropped.Aslong

astheyareguaranteedcolostrum,wewillbuythem.Wescanoursheep,soweknowwhenthesinglesarelambing.Assoonasweseeasinglelambin,wecatchit,we’lllambitintoawashingupbowlandcatchallthefluidsandputthelambinthewashingupbowl.Wegetthenextlambandputitinthewashingbowl,completely,soitisaswetastheotherlambandwegiveittothemotherfirst,andthengiveherowntoher.We’reverysuccessfulatmotheringon.’It’snottheonlythingtheCaygillsdothatsetsthemapart.Jonathanhasalsoaddedtothebusinessofdairyfarmingwithhisdevelopmentofan‘EasyCowLift’andan‘EasySheepFeed’trailer.‘Idesignthemandmakethem.We’vemadeavideoofthetrailerandonYouTubeithashad373,000hits.It’squitegood,eventhoughIsayitmyself.373,000peoplelookingatsomething,it’sbizarreisn’tit?’Withablendoftraditionalandnewmethods,Jonathanisconstantlyevolvinghispractice,andcontinuallyevaluatingthemarketstomakethebusinessworkwhilekeepinghislivestockhealthyand

Wholemilk is still 96% fatfree! It’s just incredibleand it’s perceived as bad.It’s sowrong, it’snotbad.For children, drinkingmilkis probably the mostimportant thing they cando, for their health, fortheir bones – those bonesthey’re making now,they’retherefortherestoftheirlives.


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happy.OnethinghestressesistheundervaluingofmilkintheUK.‘Ifsupermarketscansellbottledwater,whichisanendlesssupply,andmakesomuchmoneyoutofit,whyonearthismilksobadlymarketed?There’senoughthingsinmilk–plusGuinness(laughs)–tosurviveon.Everyonegoessemi-skimmedmilk,butwholemilkisstill96%fatfree!It’sjustincredibleandit’sperceivedasbad.It’ssowrong,it’snotbad.Forchildren,drinkingmilkisprobablythemostimportantthingtheycando,fortheirhealth,fortheirbones–thosebonesthey’remakingnow,they’retherefortherestoftheirlives.Andmilkhasbeenproventobethebestrecoverydrinkforsportsmen.WheneverI’mhavingarushandneedingadrinkIjustdrinkalitreofmilk.It’slikeameal,youfeelfullafterit.You’vehadallthevitaminsandmineralsthatyouneedandyou’llbefine.See,MarketingusedtobedonebytheoldMilkMarketingboard.Everyonewantedridofit,ithasn’thelpedus.We’vegotveryunhealthycompetitionofmilkbuyersandwhenitcomestomarketing,asacountry,wearecrackers.IfIhadthetimeandthemoney,I’dlovetobeabletomarketmilk.’

Changingthewaymilkismarketedisahugetaskandmilkpricesareoneofthemanyuncertaintiesinfarming.Jonathantalksabouttheeffectofglobalisation.‘That’showalotoffoodistraded,itisacommoditynow,likeallthesoyaintheworld,thepricegoesupanddown.It’sactuallynothingtodowiththeproductortheweather,it’sjustthecommoditytraders.Itmightbethemonth-endandtheyaresellingshortpositionsandthingslikethat.It’sallconnected.Sixtyyearsago,therewouldnothavebeenthecommunication.Now,eventhepeoplethatusedtobegoodatpredictingupto2-3yearsago,can’tpredictatall.’CombinethiswithrecenteventsintheUKandthereis,ifanything,evenlessabilitytopredict.‘TheworstthingaboutBrexitistheNotKnowing.Onceyouknowwhereyouare,youplan,youcutyourclothaccordingly.Youknowwhat’sviableornotviable.Butthebitinbetween,it’sveryhardtoplan.‘Whatwasveryhardlastyearwaswhenmymilkbuyerwasgiving

memilkpricereductionsforeverymonththatI’mpost-Brexit…well,pre-BrexitIwaswantingtobookmyfeedbutmymilkpricewasdropping.Ididn’thavetheconfidencetobookfeed:becauseofBrexit,overnightitwentup£50andthenanother£50.ThemilkpriceIonlyfindoutmonthbymonth,anditcanfall,butmyfeed,Ishouldbeorderingupto18monthsinadvance.’Evenso,eachmorning,Jonathanhastogetupandcontinuelookingafterhiscowsandsheep.EvenonChristmasdaytheremaybefourorfivecowscalving,aswellas200tomilk.Sowhatkeepshimgoing?‘Notwodaysarethesamewithlivestock-I’vejustgotsomanychallengesinfrontofme.Somedaysitscrisismanagement,somedaysIthink,itisjustbarmy.Whatdotheysay?Adairyfarmermakesmoredecisionsinonedaythananarablefarmermakesinawholeyear.‘Idoloveit,butit’sashamewecannotmakeenoughmoneyoutofjustfarming.Inanidealworld,there’llbenoneedtosupportagriculture.That’sthefrustratingpart.AftertheWar,45%ofsome-one’sincomewasspentonfood.Idon’tknowwhatitisnow,its15%orsomething.That’soneoftheproblems,we’vejustlosttheconnection.Idon’tknowhowwearegoingto-thefuture,goingforward.I’mnervousaboutit.Nervousforfarmslikethis.’

It’s a shame we cannotmakeenoughmoneyoutof just farming. In anideal world, there’ll beno need to supportagriculture. That’s thefrustrating part. Afterthe War, 45% of some-one’s income was spentonfood.Now,its15%orsomething.That’soneoftheproblems,we’vejustlosttheconnection.


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WewalkouttoafieldtocheckaLuingbull,andtalkaboutthepast.Jonathaniswaitingforakneeoperation,andisthankfulforthehelponthefarm.‘WhenIwasyoungerweworkedhard,butweworklongerhoursnow,eventhoughit’smoremechanical,there’sstillwork,shearingandphysicaljobstodo.You’redoingitsevendaysaweek,yourbodydoesn’trecover.Youwearyourbodyout.’Aswestrollbacktothebarns,Jonathantalksabouthissons,andweaskiftheywillgointofarming.‘They’llbothgetthechancebutthey’vegottomakethedecision.There’sonlysomuchmoneyyou’llmake.Iftheywanttodoit,that’sfine,butiftheydon’t…youcan’tdothisjobunlessyouwanttodoit.It’snotreallyajob,it’sawayoflife.’

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