Beckside Farm, nestled in the picturesque Whicham Valley near Millom in southwest Cumbria, stands as a testament to both heritage and forward-looking agribusiness. The Morris-Eyton family have farmed here for over 300 years, the farm now spans approximately 600 acres and is home to a herd of Holstein cross dairy cows, bred for high yield and robust health through advanced genomic testing and selective breeding. Patrick Morris-Eyton strongly believes that for his farming future to include a decent work-life balance, his farm needs to embrace efficiency and be sustainable economically, environmentally and socially. An example of this is Beckside’s hydroelectric generator that produces energy for the climate-controlled calf-rearing unit and sells surplus power back to the grid.
Patrick Morris-Eyton is doing as much as he can to grow his own feed and straw for the dairy herd. Doing so reduces the costs not only of the silage itself but also the higher haulage fees that being in such a remote location incur. Also, crucially, by growing his own feedcrops, Patrick is able to ensure as high a quality of fodder as possible, which in turn improves the quantity of milk solids (proteins and fats) which their dairy pays a premium for.
In a major investment in 2019, the farm completed a state-of-the-art dairy expansion on a four-acre greenfield site. The new facility includes a 54-point Waikato rotary parlour and 350-stall cubicle sheds, designed for efficiency, animal welfare, and environmental sustainability. These upgrades reduce milking times dramatically which improve both cow health and farm labour costs. The herd now produces over 2 million litres of milk annually. The farm supplies Arla dairies and the milk is processed into cheese, yoghurt and milk products in Leeds and then sold in UK supermarkets (Asda, Tesco and Morrisons). Through investment, and a keen business sense for efficiency and sustainability, Beckside Farm continues to enrich Cumbria’s countryside and community.
Image copyright Amy Bateman