TWO new livestock buildings have been unveiled at Bishop Burton College near Beverley.

The £150,000-plus investment will increase the efficiency and profitability of the dairy enterprise and enable the expansion of the college’s suckler herd. One shed will house dairy heifers and the other is a new calf-rearing unit.

Colin Dennis, the college’s farm director, said the calfrearing unit is especially interesting as it is quite heavily insulated. He said: “We have taken a lot of expert advice and the technical specifications of the buildings are really interesting.

“Just like any other farms in the real world, ours has to show a profit. Bishop Burton is one of only a very small handful of college farms to be run on a commercial basis.”

The new sheds have freed up space for the expansion of the college’s suckler herd; the foundation of which is its own dairy-bred Limousin cross heifers. Mr Dennis and his team have bought in some Hereford suckler heifers and already have a Limousin and a Hereford bull.

“I’ve been at the college for more than 30 years and we’ve not had a suckler herd in all that time so it’s an exciting new venture for us,” he said.

The college has also just taken delivery of 20 new insulated pig arcs.

Jeanette Dawson, principal and chief executive of the college, said: “There are only around three college farms in the whole country that are run as commercial concerns.

“The fact that every college farm decision is made with the bottom line in mind is something that makes me incredibly proud.”