ABOUT
The Roaming Dairy, milking on the move
Oliver Chedgey grew up on a smallholding in Somerset, he always aspired to farm and later studied agriculture at Seale Hayne. His farming journey started using sheep and beef cattle to graze uncropped arable land. He then moved on to become a pioneering organic dairy farmer based in Hampshire, UK. Established in 2017 he is the co owner and founder of The Roaming Dairy, which operates a mobile milking parlour on Kingsclere Estates.
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The shared farming agreement between Oliver Chedgey (Roaming Dairy) and Tim May (Kingsclere Estates) is a collaborative model where responsibilities, costs and profits are shared. Kingsclere Estates provides the land and contributes feed from its arable operations, while Roaming Dairy own all the machinery and manage the day-to-day operations. Both parties co-own the 450-strong organic herd and share milk revenue based on their respective contributions.
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Oliver is also a Nuffield Scholar and has been recognized for his regenerative farming practices.
The innovative approach from Roaming Dairy is achieved by sustainable farming methods by grazing Jersey cross cows outdoors on rotational pastures all year-round and milking them using the mobile parlour directly in the field. This reduces stress and improves the cows health which aligns with his vision of ethical and efficient farming practices.
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The key benefits include:
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Animal Welfare
The unique mobile setup allows the cows to be milked in their grazing locations, rather than transporting them to a fixed parlour or having to stand on concrete for long periods of time, which can cause lameness.
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Natural Rhythms
Milking occurs once daily between 7am and 11am, aligning with the cows’ natural cycles.
Soil Fertility
Grazing rotation contributes to sustainable farming which then integrates dairy farming with organic arable systems, improving the soil health and biodiversity.
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Roaming Dairy YouTube links
