Lea Manor Farm, a dairy farm on the Duke of Westminster's Eaton Estate in north-west England, has been impacted by declining milk prices and other difficulties facing British farmers. The farm has experienced challenges including heatwaves, fertiliser shortages, diseases, and a scarcity of workers.
According to Mark Roach, managing director of Grosvenor Farms, milk prices have fallen by up to 50% this year due to oversupply in the UK and overseas. This follows higher farm-gate prices last year that encouraged increased production.
The farm, which has 2,600 Holstein friesian cows, produces more than 34 million litres of milk annually. During the June heatwave, with temperatures reaching 36C, each Grosvenor cow produced up to six litres less milk per day.
Grosvenor is constructing a biomethane plant on the estate. This initiative aims to generate energy from cow manure and diversify revenue streams.