Reduce antibiotic usage by

them up by weight; their stock agent picks them by eye with the aim of getting a similar and consistent line of calves in each lot.

They hold back calves that won’t fit into or might weaken the line. They stay on the farm to be reared through to two years old.

Even with 12 cows the Drummonds must be mindful of typical dairy cow problems such as milk fever and must still dust the paddocks.

“But when you milk, you run one line of cows into one side of the herringbone, milk them, and you’re finished,” Adrian says.

“We’re still busy doing things on the farm, we just don’t have to get up as early anymore and we only must milk twice a day for three months. It doesn’t really matter what time we milk, because no tanker is coming,” Marianne says.