After years of hands-on feeding, the Aireys discovered that automation could match their own care and make daily life on the farm a little easier. 

Farming has always been a family effort for the Aireys. At New Grange Farm, Tom and Julia, along with their children, Becca, William, and Rachel, look after 120 dairy cows and a small herd of suckler cattle, calving year round. With so much happening every day, rearing healthy, well-grown calves takes time, pateience, and teamwork. 

Julia has always taken pride in rearing strong calves, so when the idea of automation came up, Tom admist they were cautious. 

"We were a little bit apprehensive about the machine because Julia makes such a good job of rearing the calves, and it was a bit of trepidation...Will this machine live up to expectations? But it has, and we're really pleased with it."

After installing the JFC Evolution S2 Automation Calf Feeder, it didn't take long for their worries to subside. 

Bringing Order to Feeding

Before putting in the automatic calf feeder, milk had to be carried from the parlour to the calf shed, a long, repetitive job that took up a lot of time each day. 

"We were feeding them on cow's milk, but that milk was fetch-and-carry from the milking parlour to the shed where the calves are, and there's quite a distance to carry...this machine saved a lot of work that way."

Now, the daily routine is simpler and more consistent. Each morning begins with a quick check of the feeder, topping up milk powder, checking the green, orange, and red ticks, and making sure every calf has been fed. 

"We go in, check which calves have been fed, which haven't been fed, check there's plenty of powder in the machine, top that it...really simple.", said william Airey. 

The result is calmer, quieter calves and more time to focus on the rest of the farm. 

"The calves are always quiet and settled. When they were on the bucket system, they'd be noisy at feeding time, but now they're very, very setteled, and we're happy with how they're doing."

Even Calves, Every Time

Both Tom and Julia have spent decades around livestock. They know some calves are slower drinkers than others, but the automatic calf feeder revealed just how much variation there really is. 

"It wasn't until we got them onto the machine that we realised just how difference there was. Each calf's getting its correct amount, whereas if it was being fed in a trough, those that were slower drinkers wouldn't be getting enough."

That precision has created even batches of strong, healthy calves, which matters more than ever when rearing animlas for sale. 

"These calves are really valuable now, and it's important to make a really good job of rearing them."

Weaning has also become smoother and more controlled. 

"When they come to weaning off, it's a real gradual weaning down, so they come off the machine no bother at all. There's no sprawling and shoting, wanting feed."

An Extra Pair of Eyes

For the Aireys, one of the biggest benefits is the level of visibiilty and reassurance the automatic calf feeder provides. 

"It's like having an extra pair of eyes in the pen because there's so much information."

The traffic-light system highlights which calves have been fed and which might need checking, while the app makes it possible to monitor everything from anywhere. 

"With the app, we can check any time of day, even lying in bed, check if the calves are right."

Strong local support has made the transition even smoother. The team at Aspatria Farmers were on hand from setup to troubleshooting, and that backup gives the Aireys complete confidence. 

"The staff are really helful. If we have an issue, we can ring them and get an answer. Someone will pick up the phone."

The Proof is in the Pen

The automatic calf feeder has taken pressure off daily routines while improving consistency and control. It fits naturally into the way the Aireys already work: focused, careful, and built around the health of each calf. 

• Labour savings: No more carrying milk from the parlour or long feeding runs. 

• Even growth: Every calf receives its correct share, creating stronger, uniform batches. 

• Health and welfare: Calves stay calmer, quieter, and easier to manage. 

• Peace of mind: Round-the-clock monitoring and reliable local support make sure there are minimal unexpected problems. 

Are you considering a move to Automatic Calf Feeding?

Contact our Team today!