Andrew Butler
Lower Barker Farm
Brother to Gillian, Andrew took over the reins of Lower Barker Farm with his wife Ann nine years ago, when Grandad Butler moved to Throstle Nest Farm to rear the young heifers.
Lower Barker Farm is literally on the doorstep of Inglewhite Dairy so the milk tanker really does not have far to go!
Andrew’s work is now split between a dairy herd of 320 cows and 1000 goats, currently providing 700 milkers to be milked twice daily.
The cheeky goats live a couple of miles down the lane at Sheardley Fold Farm and are now managed by Andrew’s daughter Nicola and partner Matt, making their first mark on Butlers and dairy farming as the goats cheese market continues to develop.
Andrew likes the goats as they are very friendly and much cleaner than cows – he only needs to wear his trainers when he visits the goats whereas wellies are essential when the cows are about!
There is quite an investment of time to create high quality goats milk. Using three breeds of goat: Saanen, Toggenburg and Alpine, Butlers goats are bred and reared from birth onwards. The kids all need to be weaned and cared for until they are about a year old before they can give something back.
