Size matters: Halting the trend towards bigger dairy cows

Dairy farmer Andy Rutter is firmly opposed to the principle of the “bigger the better” when it comes to running his 380-head Holstein herd. Rutter, who spent 20 years working for genetics company, Genus, running its EU breeding programme before returning to the Cheshire Clayhanger Hall Farm in North-west England 4 years ago, says he is baffled that farmers continue to select for larger cows. “Every time we have an accident, it seems to be with a big cow. She does the splits, gets stuck,