From high feed bills to profitable dairy forage  

Efficient milk production from homegrown forage has become the central focus for Ben Walker’s dairy business at Attleborough Hall Farm, Norfolk.  

Since taking over in 2011, Ben has restructured operations to align with the farm’s climate and resources, transitioning to autumn-block calving. This strategic shift earned him a finalist spot for the 2024 FWA Grassland Manager of the Year. 

The challenge: High costs and low returns

Back in 2011, the farm ran a herd of 160 all-year-round calving Holstein cows, producing 11,000 litres annually. Despite the high output, production costs were unsustainable, with each cow consuming 4.1t of concentrate feed each year.  

“We were producing a lot of milk but not making money,” Ben reflects. This realisation led to a pivotal change, reducing the feed rate to 1.8t per cow annually by switching to autumn calving and maximising forage use.  

The solution: Leaner and more efficient production

To reduce costs and increase forage reliance, Ben replaced the Holsteins with smaller cross-bred cows, which now produce 54% of their milk from forage alone.  

The following changes made a significant impact on the farm’s performance: 

Strategic farm redesign

In 2023, Ben embarked on a £2.9 million redevelopment after selling 22ha for housing. The upgraded facilities include 320 wooden kennels for milking cows, 80 for heifers, a calf shed, silage clamps, and a 26/52 swingover parlour. 

Nutrient recycling is managed through two lagoons: a 4,500m³ slurry lagoon and a 15,000m³ dirty water lagoon, with dirty water applied to grazing land using a 90mm main ring and Roto Rainer irrigator. 

Additionally, 60 hectares were taken from arable land to expand the dairy unit. 

Matching the system to the climate

Calving now begins on 1st September, with cows dried off on standing hay from 1st July. “In a bad year, the grass burns off in May, so we can dry cows off when grass growth is at its lowest,” Ben explains. 

This timing aligns with East Anglia’s unpredictable weather, allowing flexibility even during drought-prone summers. 

Managing grassland for consistent performance

The 300-cow herd is turned out by day in February and grazes until mid-October, when they are housed at night – full housing begins in November.  

The grazing platform extends to 108 hectares, with 3.2 cows per hectare. Paddocks are grazed for 12-36 hours, with targeted grass covers of 2,800-3,200kg DM/ha and residuals of 1,500kg DM/ha. Larger paddocks are managed with break fences to ensure targeted grazing. 

Buffer feeding and crop resilience

The farm can produce from 6.5-11.5t of DM/ha and Ben works to mitigate grass growth variability through buffer feeding across the grazing period.  
 
Ben has implemented a self-feed silage system to minimise labour and machinery costs, layering maize and grass in the same clamp. Youngstock are trained from 14 weeks to eat above and below a feed wire set 91cm above the ground, which is moved forward by 150mm/day. 

Wholecrop wheat or barley serves as a failsafe during drier periods, and in 2024, rape meal was clamped to reduce bought-in compounds. 

Optimising forage: Grass mixes and herbal leys

Ben’s forage strategy focuses on resilient grass varieties and drought-resistant mixes: 

Grass reseeding programme

Each year, the lowest-performing 10% of grassland is reseeded based on AgriNet growth data, with paddocks plate metered weekly throughout the growing season. 

Tetraploids and diploids, including Germinal varieties AberZeus, AberSpey, AberBann, and AberGain, have increased yields by 15%. “I am really happy with the quality and would definitely use them again,” Ben says. 

White clover integration

AberSwan and AberHerald clover varieties are stitched in after the grass establishes using a harrow and seeder box, or direct drill.  

“They certainly withstand our drier summers. We get a flush of clover when the grass is starting to look a bit sparse. When I’m sampling grass, you can tell the difference if a ley contains clover because it is higher in protein,” adds Ben.  

Herbal leys for drought mitigation

To further combat dry conditions, Ben has introduced herbal leys under the Sustainable Farming Initiative (SFI), focusing on root depth and nutrient retention. 

The results: From struggle to sustainability

Driven by higher yielding, higher quality forage, the farm produces 7,000 litres at 4.8% butterfat and 3.6% protein, with milk sold under a Morrisons-aligned Arla contract. And the launch of Daisy’s Milk Shed, a milk vending machine, has created a secondary revenue stream selling 30,000 litres in its first year. 

Looking ahead, Ben plans to replicate this model on a second dairy unit, maintaining his focus on strategic forage use and profitable but sustainable production methods. 

“Ben has analysed the old system and moved to a robust model that is tailored to the climatic challenges but still maximises the use of high-quality grass,” says William Fleming, Germinal grassland expert. 

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