For anyone looking to build their experience in dairy farming, New Zealand has long been a popular destination. The opportunity to work on large-scale, grass-based dairy farms and experience a different approach to dairy production attracts young farmers from Ireland and the UK every year.

But what if you could gain that same type of large-scale, grass-based experience much closer to home?

Dourie Farming in Southwest Scotland offers exactly that opportunity.

Set across approximately 2,500 acres in the Machars of Wigtownshire, Dourie is a large-scale family farming enterprise run by brothers Rory and Gregor Christie. The business includes a 1,200-cow dairy enterprise, around 850 beef cattle and a 200-sow pig unit, giving anyone working on the farm the opportunity to gain experience across multiple areas of modern agriculture.

Large-scale dairy farming on a grass-based system

The dairy enterprise at Dourie is particularly interesting for anyone looking to understand how a large herd can be managed around a grass-based system.

The farm operates a spring block-calving system, with cows grazing outdoors for around 270 days of the year. The system focuses heavily on soil, grass management, herd management and breeding, with the aim of making the most of the natural resources available on the farm.

The dairy has two rotary parlours, including a state-of-the-art unit built in 2020, giving staff the chance to work with the infrastructure and systems required to manage a herd of this scale.

For anyone interested in grass-based dairy farming, there is a huge amount to learn — from grazing management and grass measurement through to breeding, block calving, herd health, parlour management and the day-to-day organisation required to keep a large enterprise running efficiently.

More than just dairy

One of the advantages of Dourie is the scale and diversity of the overall business.

Alongside the dairy enterprise, the farm has around 850 beef cattle, as well as the pig unit, which operates a 200-sow closed herd. The pig enterprise is a high-output indoor system designed around high welfare and productivity.

That means there is the opportunity to gain an insight into several different areas of commercial agriculture rather than experiencing just one farming system.

Dourie also has a strong focus on innovation, genetics and research. The dairy is involved in genetic research looking at areas including dam-line genetics, sexed semen and IVF, providing an insight into some of the technologies shaping the future of dairy farming.

Learn from Rory Christie and the Dourie team

A major part of the experience is the opportunity to work alongside Rory Christie, who has a wealth of knowledge and experience in large-scale dairy farming.

Rory has developed Dourie alongside his brother Gregor and is heavily involved in the wider agricultural industry. His approach is centred around working with good people, innovation, attention to detail and continually looking at how the business can improve.

For someone starting out in agriculture or looking to take the next step in their career, working alongside an experienced farmer like Rory can provide an invaluable opportunity to learn — not only about the practical side of farming, but also about management, people, business and decision-making.

Dourie also places a strong emphasis on its people. Staff and students are given opportunities to develop both their technical and personal skills, with the farm welcoming students and people looking to build a career in agriculture.

A taste of the New Zealand experience — closer to home

For many young farmers, travelling to New Zealand is about experiencing scale, grass-based systems and a different way of farming.

Dourie offers many of those same learning opportunities without having to travel to the other side of the world.

You can work on a large-scale grass-based dairy enterprise, experience a 1,200-cow herd, learn about grazing and grass management, see modern milking infrastructure in action and gain an understanding of how a large farming business operates — all while living and working in the beautiful southwest of Scotland.

The farm is close to the picturesque fishing village of Port William, with Wigtown and Newton Stewart nearby, making it a fantastic place to live as well as work. Dourie notes that many of its staff live either on the farm or in the village, with a strong family culture among the team.

Take a look inside Dourie Farming

We recently spent time at Dourie Farming with Rory, filming a two-part video series to give an insight into the scale of the enterprise, the farming system and what goes on behind the scenes.

Across the videos, Rory takes us around the farm, explaining the infrastructure, systems and thinking behind the business — giving viewers a real insight into what it takes to run a large-scale dairy enterprise.

If you’re considering gaining dairy farming experience, looking for a placement or simply want to see how a large-scale grass-based system operates, our Dourie Farming video series is well worth a watch.