Shropshire college opens new £1m dairy to public
[gallery] A Shropshire college has opened its new £1 million dairy to the public to show how the industry is benefitting from technology advances.
More than 400 people toured the dairy at the Walford Campus of Walford and North Shropshire College to see hi-tech gadgets like a robotic milking machine which has dramatically increased output.
College bosses said there had been a lot of interest from former students, farm workers and local people since it was opened by Environment Secretary and North Shropshire MP Owen Paterson in July.
They have been busy trying to bring their farm's dairy up to modern standards by creating a milking parlour and space for 100 extra dairy cattle. The scheme has also included creating a robotic milking machine which has increased milking capacity by 50 per cent.
College principal and chief executive Andrew Tyley said: "The recent capital investments of our new dairy make a powerful statement about our confidence and commitment to the dairy industry and the role of Walford in training future generations of farmers.
"The open day was also a fantastic opportunity to showcase our facilities to the wider community.
"We were delighted that the event attracted, not only local farmers but many former students and members of the local community."
The new facility, known as the RD Park Dairy Centre, named after Walford's first Principal, the late Don Park, also hosted an exhibition from local companies such as Minshalls, the Shropshire company responsible for the construction of the new dairy and Ellesmere-based Fullwood, the supplier of the technology for the state of the art robotic parlour, Wynnstay Group and agricultural machinery company Hughes Brothers of Oswestry.
Neil Ridgway, farm manager and former Walford agriculture student, added: "It was great to see so many people attend the open day and take interest in the developments at the farm.
"On March 16 next year we will be hosting our ever-popular Spring Lambing Day and by then, the new Rural Skills Centre and Enterprise Hub will be fully operational.
"Visitors will again have something new to learn about the further developments at Walford as a destination for the development of agricultural and related rural skills.
"We are also currently working with our partners to develop a Dairy Farming Academy to offer professional development opportunities to local farmers in the future".
Proceeds from the event will be donated to the RD Park Travel Scholarship to benefit future students.
