Theresa and Ciara carefully monitor the health of their cows with a herd health plan to ensure optimum animal welfare. Theresa believes that interaction between a farmer and their cows is extremely important, creating trust been farmer and animal: “Human touch is so, so important on the farm. The cows know us and we know every cow on our herd.”

Although the farm supplies milk all year round, the cows themselves will get a break from milking prior to calving. This is managed by calving 40% of the cows between September and December with the remainder calving in the spring.

After milking, cows walk the short distance from the milking parlour to the hedgerow-lined fields surrounding the farmyard. Cows graze outside for the majority of the year and are only housed during the wettest winter months. Calves are kept in well-ventilated, straw bedded sheds until they’re old enough to graze on grass.

Ciara, who will eventually take over the farm from her parents, follows in the farming footsteps of not only her mother, but her grandmother, Elizabeth Wrafter, who ran the farm by herself for many years after the death of her husband, Thomas. 

Ciara acknowledges all the guidance she has received from both her mum and her dad throughout her happy childhood on the farm. Working alongside them and learning as she grew has instilled in her a great love for their cows. 

Ciara explains the importance of the family farm to her, “My grandmother kept the farm going for a good few years. On more than one occasion someone offered to buy the farm, but she wouldn’t sell and when dad finished school he took over. She kept the liquid milk going and won some awards. For her more than anyone I want to keep the farm going. I think she would be proud of me.”