milk sourced locally

It all starts here…

All of the milk we utilise is obtained directly from dairy farms located within a 30-mile radius of our Shaftesbury production plant. These local farms are regularly inspected as part of the Red Tractor Farm Assured Scheme and are required to comply with this standard. Additionally, the Farm Liaison Team at BV Dairy works directly with our Farmers to implement modern best-practice guidelines and support them in maintaining herds of healthy, happy cows that provide high-quality, rich, flavourful, and nutritious milk.

All milk is tested when it is collected from the farm, both to preserve quality and to serve as the foundation for a mutually agreed-upon payment system for the farmer. Additionally, we have frequent forums where our excellent farmers and other invited dairy professionals can address problems and share ideas in order to maintain a productive working relationship.

The typical dairy farm supplier has a long history of producing milk and a long history with the dairy. Their sizes range from smaller, family-run operations with about 80 cows to larger operations with 400 cows. Every farm has a different system in place, but ALL cows spend part of the year outside on grass and the rest of the year indoors in a barn or cubicle house.

happy, healthy cows

About our Cows

The breed of cow our milk comes from is also varied, with some farms having pedigree Holstein Friesians and others having crossbred stock – such as Jersey crossed with Friesian.  There are also Guernseys, Brown Swiss and Montbeliarde.

In the summer, grass is the key component of a healthy diet. Cattle are fed primarily silage (preserved grass or maize) with a combination of cereals and protein feeds throughout the winter when grass does not grow properly to ensure that they maintain their health.

We encourage different calving habits since they contribute to a steady flow of milk to the dairy. Calving schedules vary and are customised by the farmer to fit his farm, his staff, and the space and area available. In fact, there may be other farming enterprises to take into consideration, such as arable, beef cattle, or sheep. While some farms have the resources to have calves “year round,” others have calves in “blocks,” usually in the spring or the autumn.

BV Dairy is committed to its farmers whatever size their farm and our aim is to help them support healthy, happy cows.