Sarah Prout and her family are new to full-time farming on Brookes Farm in Wiltshire, where they contract rear calves. With 122 animals in total and 25 calves on the JFC Evolution S2 Automatic Calf Feeder, she wanted a system that would keep the work manageable and the calves thriving.
Before starting the business, Sarah and her husband spent time researching what makes a successful calf-rearing setup. They built new sheds designed for airflow, hygiene, and easy movement but knew that managing milk preparation and feeding would still be a time-consuming part of the job. Automation quickly became key to their plan.
"We started about a year ago, decided we wanted to go down the calf rearing route...We did a lot of research into what we needed to do the right thing and make it best for labour purposes. And the best thing was a JFC automatic calf feeder."
Getting started in farming meant learning fast. Sarah and her family wanted reliable systems and tools that would keep feeding consistent and remove the risk of human error. The automatic calf feeder was a perfect fit.
It brought order to a demanding routine, mixing each feed at the right temperature and volume without delay. That consistency gave the new setup structure and confidence, allowing them to focus on herd growth rather than the daily rush of milk preparation.
For anyone weighing up a move to automation, Sarah's experience shows that the learning curve isn't as steep as it seems. Once the automatic calf feeder is installed and the calves are collared, it becomes part of the farm's rhythm. You create a daily routine that saves time, reduces stress, and keeps every calf on track.
What stood out immediately was how easy the feeder was to use.
"Very simple to use, my 8-year-old can use it...once you get the collars on and register the calves then it is very, very simple."
That simplicity makes routines smoother. Calves are registered quickly, feed checks are straightforward, and the traffic light system provides instant reassurance.
"We look at the ticks on the screen...we always look to see if there's any orange or red ticks that are there and we...check the calves and make sure that they look OK."
JFC's service also gave Sarah confidence from the start.
"When we had the machine installed, it was brilliant...since the installation, we've been on the phone asking questions and they've always been on hand immediately to help us."
Pre-automation, feeding calves was harder work and more stressful for both farmer and animals.
"Before we got the milk machine, we used to do hand-whisking, which was quite hard work. And you could see the calves getting stressed because they're eager for the milk."
The automatic calf feeder removed that stress. Milk replacer is mixed at the right consitency every time, and each calf gets its fair share.
"It mixes at the right temperature, at the right mix rate, and it does what it says on the tin. All the calves get equal measures of what they should be having. So, not the stronger calves getting more and the weaker calves getting less."
The results speak for themselves.
For Sarah, the automatic calf feeder has been an investment in her calves and peace of mind.
It has made calf rearing easier, fairer, and far more reliable for her and her family. The even feeding produced stronger calves, made the routine simpler, and provided reassurance through consistent support from JFC. She now spends less time worrying and can focus fully on the rest of the farm.
"If anyone's thinking of making a move to the automatic calf feeders, then please get in touch with JFC."
Fair feeding: Every calf gets equal measures, helping weaker animals keep up.
Ease of use: Straightforward setup, simple interface, and quick daily checks.
Less stress: No more hand-whisking or restless calves at feeding time.
Trusted support: Back-up and advice available whenever it's needed.
Are you considering a move to Automatic Calf Feeding?
Tuam, Co. Galway,
H54 RX46, Ireland
+353 93 24066
Maesbury rd, Oswestry,
SY10 8NN, UK
+44 16913 20003
info@jfcevolution.com
