When a black and white female (heifer) is born at Greenheyes it will spend the first 1-2 weeks with its mother after that it is taken from her and put in the rearing pens. These are made from wooden pallets and there is space for 6 calves.

It will spend the next 5 weeks in a pen until it has finished drinking milk and it is eating solid food.

At the end of this time they will then move into the "lean to shed" behind the pens and they usually stay in here in a group of about 6-8 before moving on into the New stockyard. The stockyard (right) will hold up to 18 animals (3 groups of 6) and after 6 months (as most of our black and whites are born in the autumn) they will go out to grass.

After a summer outside at grass they will then come in for the winter and they will then live in the heifer cubicals. By now thy will be approaching 18 months old and they will be put to the bull and got in calf during the winter.

When spring comes again they will be now 2 years old and they will now go out with the cows ready to calve in 3 months and become milking cows in the herd.

So as you see from birth to being a milking animal takes a minimum of 2 years and three months!

To find out more about milking click here

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