Scottish farmer David Finlay claims his innovative cow-with-calf system is more profitable and productive, prompting calls for government funding and a major industry debate.
A pioneering Scottish dairy farmer, David Finlay, is challenging the traditional industry model of separating calves from their mothers within 24 hours of birth by adopting a cow-with-calf system for commercial production. Finlay, who manages a herd of 130 dairy cows at Rainton Farm near Gatehouse of Fleet, is Europe’s largest commercial operator utilizing this method, keeping the cow and calf together for five to six months. He claims this approach dramatically improves animal welfare standards, results in healthier cows and staff, and, critically, yields a more profitable business model.
The decision to adopt this unconventional system, initiated with his late wife Wilma in 2012, was initially fraught with risk, nearly bankrupting the business due to insufficient milk available for market sale. However, after overhauling their strategy, Finlay claims to have unlocked significant efficiency gains. He reports that the system allows the farm to carry 25% more cows, while the adult cows are yielding 25% more milk. Despite the calves consuming “a third of their mother’s milk,” the resulting increase in productivity and efficiency means the system is ultimately “more efficient, more productive and more profitable” than the conventional separation method.
Finlay is now urging the Scottish government to commit multi-million pound funding to match research efforts being undertaken by the EU’s Transform Dairy Net project. This funding is sought to fully investigate the economic, environmental, and animal welfare impacts of the cow-with-calf system. The government, through Agriculture Minister Jim Fairlie, expressed commitment to high animal welfare standards and innovative, sustainable and regenerative agriculture, citing the new Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Act 2024 as supporting such progressive initiatives.
Despite the proven financial turnaround at Rainton Farm, the concept faces strong skepticism within the wider dairy industry, particularly in south-west Scotland, which is home to almost half of Scotland’s dairy herds. Critics, such as third-generation farmer David McMiken, argue that the system is an “unlikely” candidate for widespread adoption as it comes with increased labour costs and increased feed costs, making it “not viable in a lot of farms.” McMiken also raises a counter-welfare argument, suggesting that separating a mother and calf after five to six months—after they have developed a strong maternal bond—could be more stressful than early separation.
Nevertheless, the system is attracting growing interest and academic support. Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) recently awarded Finlay an Honorary Fellowship for his commitment to innovation. SRUC scientist Dr. Holly Ferguson confirms that people are becoming “more interested in the challenges and the pitfalls” of the system. She views Finlay’s pioneering work as crucial in creating the necessary “blueprint” that will allow other farmers in the UK and internationally to properly assess and potentially adopt the cow-with-calf dairy system as a viable, sustainable alternative.
Source: Read the full feature on this dairy farming innovation from the BBC.
