Applying biodynamic farming principles to herd and unit management is bringing myriad benefits to one Nuffield Scholar’s dairy business. We spoke to him to find out more.
TEXT SARAH ALDERTON
Completing a Nuffield Scholarship has transformed the way one Cornwall-based producer manages his herd and dairy unit. Julian Ellis runs a 240-cow Guernsey herd, plus 150 followers, with his father Bernard, and help from two full-time and four part-time staff, and carried out a study on ‘farming by the cycles of the moon’ in 2010, after attending a talk on the subject held by his local gardening club.
“I was intrigued and tried to find out more about its relevance to agriculture, but there was so little information out there. I decided I’d like to study and gather more information myself,” he explains.
Boscarne Farm, near Land’s End, comprises 178 hectares and is also home to 200 dairy beef cattle, which are finished and sold deadweight. The farm also grows spring cabbage, swedes, fodder beet, barley, and oilseed rape.
Heifer accommodation: housing comprises training cubicles
Valuable connections
As part of Julian’s studies, he attended a conference on biodynamic farming in Switzerland. Although he found some lectures far-fetched, he made valuable connections that helped his research and led him to visit farms in Switzerland, Italy, Luxembourg, Canada, and the US. These farms utilised the cycles of the moon for planting and breeding cattle, and Julian became convinced there was validity in these practices, prompting him to trial some of the ideas he picked up on his own unit.
“Performing farm tasks by the moon is an age-old practice that has largely been forgotten as a result of growing demand for food and a push towards more intensive systems,” he says. “It is well-documented that the moon’s gravitational pull affects oceans and, similarly, causes moisture levels to rise and fall in the soil.
“Each month the moon moves through all twelve constellations of the zodiac, known as the moon’s sidereal cycle. This, in combination with the moon’s lunar phase – full or new moon – helps to determine when it’s best to manage crops.”
This lunar-based approach led Julian to implement changes that he believed could benefit his farm’s productivity and sustainability. For example, for leaf crops, it is considered practical to plant just before the full moon, and when it is passing through the signs of the zodiac associated with water, to get the benefits of peak moisture. In the final quarter of the moon’s cycle, when the water table falls to its lowest, this is when cutting and manure application are optimal, as the dropping water levels pull nutrients into the crop.
Although Julian uses a moon calendar to help determine optimal times for silaging, drilling crops, and applying manure, he says his emphasis remains focused on typical proven agricultural practices. “Ideally, grass would be cut for silage during the final quarter of the moon’s cycle, when the plant-sap content is ‘withdrawing’,” he says. “This increases the chance of that crop drying quicker. But if it’s raining on those days it’s not the best time to cut the crop. So we only follow a biodynamic approach if it’s appropriate. It has to support conventional management,” he adds.
Cow behaviour
His study also saw him examining the lunar cycle’s impact on cow behaviour. “There are no published figures on the effect of the moon on animals, but when I looked at my own herd’s figures, I found that 17% more cows came bulling around a full moon, with conception rates 18% higher during a full moon.” Devon-based research scientist Malcolm Gibb, from the Institute of Grassland & Environmental Research in North Wyke, documented in a paper that the grazing behaviour of cattle was affected by the phase of the moon phase, with more grazing during a full moon compared to a new moon (dark phase).
Since completing his scholarship, Julian now programmes scanning three or four days before a full moon to treat any cows not in calf with oestrogen to bring them bulling in time for the full moon. Conception rates now sit at about 55% to first service. “So many factors come into play with fertility, just like the crops. It’s just another tool that can be used to help,” he adds. When visiting biodynamic farms during his study tour, Julian saw many parallels with organic farming. Although not in a position to fully convert to organic, he has adopted cropping practices that align with the organic model. “We have a lot of financial commitments and we’re supplying Rodda’s with milk to make clotted cream, so there is no incentive to be certified organic,” he says.
By managing grass better, introducing rotational grazing across the 162-hectare grazing platform, establishing clovers, and moving away from modern ryegrass in favour of mixed leys that include cocksfoot, Julian has been able to significantly reduce nitrogen use. “We’ve gone from applying around 50 tonnes per year across the unit to just 18 tonnes, which is a massive saving.”
Block calving
Julian rotationally grazes the spring/summer-calving herd as one group across a closed 162-hectare block, with cows getting a fresh bite morning and afternoon. Summer calvers, which calve outside in a 10-week block, are housed from mid-September, and spring calvers stay out until Christmas if conditions allow. He is milking cows at their peak during the summer, when the demand from Rodda’s for clotted cream is highest. Julian has experimented with applying no artificial fertiliser on some land and found that the grass still grew well.
The opportunity to buy standing grass or silage locally has meant he’s been able to give the clover a chance to really get going, build soil fertility and improve root structure. “I’m convinced this has helped us to cope in prolonged dry spells.
Out-of-parlour feeders: home-grown barley is fed to the herd
“Overall dry-matter production from grass with little or no fertiliser can be similar to that of heavily fertilised grassland, particularly when working with young leys. Almost 95% of our unit can be cropped, so we run a rotational system to ensure that no ley is left down too long,” he adds.
“We’ve also found that since reducing fertiliser use we don’t need to apply as much lime. I think this is because the artificial fertiliser was making the soil acidic.” Julian says his studies and tours of farms have taught him the focus should be on feeding the soil rather than directly feeding the plant. “That way, the soil can then feed the plant,” he says.
Milk sales
His scholarship also prompted him to explore the possibility of direct milk sales to customers, and he now sells milk under the aptly-named brand ‘Mooon Milk’. Customers fill their own bottles from three vending machines situated in the local area. He has been doing this successfully for the past six years.
Back in 2018, when they began direct selling, he was supplying milk to Arla, with his contract allowing 10% of milk to be processed on-farm. He applied for a grant and was able to buy second-hand processing equipment to pasteurise the milk. This has expanded into natural yogurt production, which is supplied wholesale to local eateries and four local shops. He is also looking into the possibility of producing and supplying flavoured yogurts. And there are talks taking place regarding cheese production. The remaining milk is supplied to Rodda’s. Milk from the Channel Island herd, which is currently averaging 5,300 litres at 5% butterfat and 3.7% protein, is perfect for yogurt and cheese production. “This is produced on a diet comprising grass and one tonne of concentrates fed through out-of-parlour feeders, 50% of which is home-grown barley,” says Julian.
“The vending-machine milk and on-farm processing are the only two parts of the business we are really in control of. Diversification is useful and important to our business, but it should never be at the cost of the core business,” he adds.
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