We and our farmers are passionate about the health and welfare of the cows that produce the essential ingredient in making delicious dairy – high quality, Cornish milk.
The dairy farms that are contracted to supply Trewithen are all located in Cornwall and we take great pride in knowing each one of our farmers personally.
Although no two Trewithen Dairy farms are the same, all our farmers share a common set of values and comply with a comprehensive set of standards on which they are independently audited. This ensures high levels of animal health, welfare and husbandry – above and beyond Red Tractor standards.
We call this commitment to animal health and welfare trewFarming – it is what we and our farmers believe in and do every day of the year. From the start of 2019 the inputs into the Herd Health Monitor have also been independently audited. The latest results from the Monitor highlight that currently all Trewithen Dairy herds are in the top 25% of herds nationally for all 14 areas measured – something that we and they are very proud of. Nevertheless, we aren’t sitting on our laurels – our trewFarming Standards will continue to evolve as we are determined to keep on improving.
We are committed to delivering on the five key features below, and recognise the growing importance of commitment to sustainability as the sixth focus area:
Our Trew commitment to grazing
The dairy herd must be provided with grazing for a minimum of 120 days per year, for at least 4 hours per day.
Our farmers are encouraged to provide their cows with pasture access, whenever weather and growing conditions permit and, in line with our trewFarming commitment, this is also independently audited. When not grazing pastures, herds are fed locally grown forages.
Our Trew commitment to herd monitoring
Farms producing milk for Trewithen Dairy must fully participate in the Herd Health Monitoring Program.
To monitor and understand how to improve further their herds’ health, all Trewithen Dairy farmers participate in a comprehensive Herd Health Monitoring Programme. Overseen by leading dairy farm advisers, Kite Consulting, this comprises the monitoring of the health and wellbeing of all cows across 14 key health metrics.
Our Trew commitment to sharing best practice
All our farmers are committed to working together to adopt and share best practice in relation to dairy farming and animal health, welfare & husbandry. This includes participation at regular best-practice dairy farming workshops funded by Trewithen Dairy. At these regular meetings, delivered by Kite Consulting, our farmers discuss issues affecting them and their dairy enterprises, share ideas and best practice, and seek to identify ways to drive improvements in animal health and welfare.
Our Trew commitment to reducing the use of antibiotics
Farms supplying Trewithen Dairy must participate in an all-year-round antibiotic monitoring programme.
Since 2017 Trewithen Dairy farmers have been fully participating in antibiotic monitoring and results to date show that their usage of antibiotics is already below government targets.
Our Trew commitment to rearing bull calves ethically
All male calves born on the farm must not be euthanised on farm unless necessary to alleviate pain and suffering.
Our Trew commitment to sustainability
100% of our farmers are committed to measuring and reducing their carbon footprint. They have tools to measure their carbon, which provides us with the foundations to learn, communicate achievements and share best practice. Our journey to reduce carbon isn’t a box-ticking exercise – it’s a commitment to engage in the environment where we work and share solutions with customers.
On soya and palm oil, we are questioning the usage and ensuring if used it comes from a sustainable source.
