For the Stephen family at Inch of Arnhall, Edzell, successful dairy farming is about
more than milk yield. With a focus on cow health, longevity and making the most of
home-grown resources, the family is continually looking for ways to improve
performance across its diverse enterprise.

With just over 1,000 acres across South Aberdeenshire and North Angus, the
Stephens have been farming in the area for more than 20 years. The business is run
by James and Judith with sons Alex and Adam, together with Alex's wife Isla and a
dedicated team of employees, and it combines a 300-cow dairy herd with beef
finishing and a 600-ewe sheep enterprise.

The dairy herd consists of Holstein cows, housed all year round and milked using six
Lely robots. Averaging 12,000 litres per cow, with butterfat of 3.8% and protein of
3.4%, the herd operates on a 386-day calving interval. However, for the Stephen
family, success is about much more than simply maximising milk yield.

"We're not chasing yield. Our ration is set up for 40 litres and we're really trying to
breed cows which will last a long time and be as healthy as possible. We want to
maintain good body condition, keep cell counts low and make sure cows are bred by
100 days. Ultimately, we're trying to feed cows in a way that keeps them functional
without pushing them too hard. We're getting a good 4.5 lactations out of a cow,
which is the main goal."

Getting the balance right in the ration is an important part of achieving this, with
energy, protein and fibre all playing an essential role in supporting cow health and
performance. Alongside the dairy, the Stephens finish between 200 and 250 Angus-
bred calves from the dairy herd each year and run 600 breeding ewes. The sheep
enterprise is managed extensively, with no concentrate feeding. Ewes are wintered
on fodder beet before lambing outdoors at the end of April and into early May, with a
target of 1.5 lambs per ewe. The different enterprises are carefully integrated to
make the most of the farm's resources, particularly grassland.

"We've got plenty of grass available over the winter for tupping, but we like to have
the sheep off the grass by New Year, "Alex explains. "That's where the fodder beet
comes in. We also have another unit where we can move lambs on to brassicas,
alongside some grass, for finishing. The two enterprises work well together because
we're making use of grass at a time when the dairy doesn't need it as much. It's also
enjoyable having that variation. The dairy is full-on all the time, whereas the sheep
are outside in the fresh air and easier going. It's good to have that diversity."

Controlling costs and making better use of home-grown feed

Like many dairy businesses, managing feed costs remains one of the biggest
challenges. With bought-in straights exposed to global market fluctuations,
maintaining control over input costs can be difficult. The farm is therefore looking at
ways to make greater use of home-grown feed and reduce reliance on purchased
ingredients.

"We have no control over the worldwide market for bought-in straights. You have to
maintain performance and work with the costs, so we're trying to make the best
possible silage to reduce the amount of concentrate we need to feed. We're also
looking at growing more of our own feedstuffs, including beans, to produce some of
our own protein."

The family sees improvements in silage quality as one of the biggest opportunities
for dairy farmers looking to improve margins. "You've got the grass, and most of the
time you have pretty good control over making decent silage. Having good grass
leys in place is a key part of the process because that's where you can make a real
difference."

A long-standing relationship with Norvite

Getting the right nutritional balance is an important part of the Stephen family's
approach to dairy production and the farm has worked with Norvite for many years.
The Stephens have used Norvite's NEOlac since 2018, when they were involved in
early trials. NEOlac is produced from cold-pressed rapeseed meal expeller which
has been treated to improve the degradability and digestibility profile of the protein
and fat content. It supplies digestible ungradable protein of 60% and has a
metabolisable energy of 15.0 mj/kg, providing a rumen-protected source of protein
as part of the dairy ration.

More recently, the farm has introduced Norvite's ALpHA alkaline grain treatment and
is now into its second year of use. Having previously used propcorn, the Stephens
were interested in exploring ALpHA as part of their ongoing focus on cow health and
rumen function. Having seen the value in incorporating ALpHA grain treatment to the
farm last year they are now using it for a second year and by winning the competition
featured on the Norvite Stand at AgriScot 2025. The Stephens have secured their
treatment for this year. Analysis of the treated grain shows a crude protein content of
14.8% on a dry matter basis representing a 4.3% uplift and a pH of 8.6.

"We were interested in ALpHA because we're trying to limit acidosis. Propcorn is
something we've always used but it is an acidic feed, so the alkaline-treated barley
seemed like a good option. It's a nicer feed and hopefully we're going to see less
acidosis and healthier cows as a result of moving over to it."

The practicalities of the treatment and storage system have also proved appealing.
The farm treats the grain whole and stores it so that it can be bruised as required to
keep the grain fresh throughout the year. "If you're planning to keep it for a long
time, storing it whole is definitely the best way to do it. You can then get somebody in
to bruise it as and when you need it. We store it on our other farm, so there's also a
transport benefit to moving whole grain rather than bruised grain - there's very little
waste at all."

For the Stephens, the combination of practical storage, ease of handling and the
nutritional characteristics of ALpHA-treated barley makes it a useful addition to the
farm's feeding system.

Looking ahead: continuous improvement and a profitable business

The family is always looking for opportunities to improve, whether that's through
investment in facilities, new technology or changes to nutritional management. Plans
include maintaining and improving cubicle mats, with the potential to renew two of
the milking robots to improve output in one of the sheds. The priority over the next
few years is to continue building on what is already working well, improving
performance across the dairy, beef and sheep enterprises.

"We've got a good team of people and we're always open to trying new technology
or nutritional ideas if there's a way of doing things better and getting that bit extra out
of performance. Ultimately, a successful year on the farm is a profitable one. There
are five or six families directly impacted by the profitability of this business, so it's
important that we keep our team together and happy, make a reasonable profit and
continue to invest. We want healthy animals and a happy place where people want
to work."

And for those starting in farming, Alex has some straightforward advice - believe in
what you're doing and don't give up too quickly. Having taken the decision to
establish a breeding sheep enterprise at a time when it wasn't necessarily the most
popular choice, the family has learned the importance of giving new ventures time to
develop.

"Five years in, we are learning and adapting our management. The poorer
performance was down to the management and not the breed of sheep. My advice
would be to persevere and trust the process. Don't follow fashions and jump in and
out of things. Give something three years before deciding it isn't working. Things
change so much and sometimes you just have to stick with something, even when it
seems like things are not going well."

It's an approach that reflects the wider philosophy at Inch of Arnhall - a willingness to
adapt, invest and keep improving while remaining focused on the long-term health of
its livestock, its people and the farm itself.