Scottish Farmer Keeps Calves with Mothers for Six Months

Published: 20 November 2025 Thursday . The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online

In a notable departure from traditional dairy farming practices, a farmer in the south of Scotland is pioneering a system that allows calves to remain with their mothers for up to six months, challenging longstanding industry norms and prompting discussion about animal welfare and commercial viability.

At conventional dairy farms, calves are typically separated from their mothers within 24 hours of birth. This practice allows farmers to collect the milk that would naturally feed the young calves and redirect it for commercial production, a system that has underpinned dairy economics for decades. However, David Finlay, who manages a herd of 130 dairy cows near Gatehouse of Fleet, has embraced an alternative approach, allowing cows and their calves to stay together for a significantly longer period.

Mr Finlay describes the system as not only enhancing animal welfare but also boosting farm productivity and profitability. “What we’ve found is we can carry 25% more cows on the farm, because the young stock are growing and maturing so much faster and the cows are yielding 25% more milk,” he explained. “So even with the calves drinking a third of their mother’s milk, the system is actually more efficient, more productive, and more profitable.”

The Finlays’ implementation of the cow-with-calf system was not without challenges. Initially, the business faced financial strain when a significant portion of milk was consumed by the calves, leaving less available for market. The couple overhauled their strategy, eventually finding a balance that allowed for both calf rearing and milk sales. Today, Rainton Farm, their property, is recognized as the largest commercial cow-with-calf dairy farm in Europe, drawing attention from policymakers and farmers alike.

One of the key arguments in favour of this approach is the benefit to animal welfare. By maintaining the maternal bond for several months, cows and calves exhibit less stress, better health outcomes, and potentially longer life expectancy. “Happier cows and staff, healthier animals—it’s a win-win situation,” Mr Finlay said. He believes that the approach has broader implications for sustainable and regenerative agriculture, advocating for a Scottish government-funded development programme to support research and adoption of the model.

Agriculture Minister Jim Fairlie expressed support for innovation in the sector, noting that the government has previously committed to funding cow-with-calf trial projects. “I will always encourage those in the sector to look for innovative approaches to farming that push Scotland to be a global leader in sustainable and regenerative agriculture,” he said. “For this reason, the adoption and use of sustainable and regenerative agricultural practices is one of the key objectives of the Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Act 2024, and it is great to see progressive businesses taking the initiative and adopting these practices already.”

Despite the potential advantages, the cow-with-calf system has its critics. Some farmers argue that the approach is unlikely to be widely adopted due to increased costs and logistical challenges. David McMiken, a third-generation dairy farmer managing a herd of 300 cows near Castle Douglas, voiced his concerns. “Ultimately, this system is a more expensive way to produce milk. It comes with increased labour costs, increased feed costs, and unfortunately that’s not viable on a lot of farms,” he said. He also emphasised the importance of independent disease control, which is easier to manage when mothers and calves are separated.

Nonetheless, some industry observers suggest that extending the period calves remain with their mothers could reduce stress associated with sudden separation. “It could be argued that separating cows and their calves after five to six months might actually be less stressful than the immediate separation used on conventional farms, as the maternal bond is allowed to develop more naturally,” noted critics and animal welfare advocates.

The debate highlights broader questions about the future of dairy farming in Scotland and across Europe. With Dumfries and Galloway home to nearly half of Scotland’s dairy herds, innovations such as the cow-with-calf system could have significant implications for sustainability, animal welfare, and farm economics. Proponents argue that adopting such systems could improve overall herd health, increase milk yields over time, and demonstrate leadership in ethical farming practices.

Mr Finlay is calling for a multi-million-pound funding commitment from the Scottish government, arguing that financial support is crucial to match EU-level research on the economic, environmental, and welfare impacts of cow-with-calf systems. He believes that with sufficient backing, more farmers could experiment with the approach, ultimately enhancing the reputation of Scotland’s dairy sector on the global stage.

For now, the Finlays continue to refine their model, balancing calf welfare with commercial productivity. By allowing calves to drink a portion of their mother’s milk while still providing marketable volumes, the farm has found a middle ground that demonstrates both compassion and commercial acumen.

As the debate continues, the Scottish government has signalled openness to innovation, highlighting the importance of research-backed practices that promote animal welfare, environmental sustainability, and economic viability. The Finlays’ pioneering approach may pave the way for a new era of dairy farming, where ethical considerations are harmonised with financial sustainability, offering a potential blueprint for farms across the UK and Europe.