Project Detail

A Dairy Story

David and Wilma Finlay standing together in a farm building

A young dairy calf sleeping on grass with adult dairy cows in the background

Two young dairy calves suckling from buckets, archive footage from 2012

A dairy cow grooming her calf at Rainton farm

The late Wilma Finlay surrounded by cows and calves

Wilma and David Finlay with the dairy cows and calves of Rainton farm

Synopsis

Every day, thousands of dairy calves are separated from their mothers at birth. A DAIRY STORY follows Wilma and David Finlay as they risk everything to find a way to keep dairy cows and their calves together.
Filmed over two years, we see Wilma and David’s determination to reinvent dairy farming; challenging industry norms by putting nature and animal welfare first. Their path wasn’t easy. They faced criticism and ridicule from their intensive dairy neighbours and almost went bankrupt proving it could work.
When Wilma receives a terminal cancer diagnosis, their mission to encourage wider industry adoption of their cow-with-calf system takes on new urgency.
This documentary addresses themes of connection and mortality, and topics of animal sentience, the environment and system change. Following calves from birth to weaning, we see the herd's profound capacity for maternal care.
A DAIRY STORY shows how changing a farming system changes everything; from the lives of the animals to the wellbeing of the farmers, and perhaps even the future of dairy farming itself.
Official Selection IndieCork 2025 - World premiere
Official Selection Central Scotland Documentary Festival 2025 - UK premiere

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Details

Year: 2025
Type of film: Features
Running time: 78:00
Format: 4k
Director: Ian Findlay 1st Feature
Producer: Lorna Young
Editor: Ian Findlay
Screenwriter: Lorna Young
Director of Photography: Ian Findlay
Sound: Ian Findlay
Composer: Finlay Harrison, Lewis Findlay
Principal cast: With contributions from: Wilma Finlay, David Finlay, Charles Ellett and Ruth Layton
Archive Footage: Bruce McKenzie
Archive Footage: Sid Ambrose

Genre

Climate / Environment Science Scottish

Production Status

Complete

Production Company

Laverock Productions Ltd

2 Academy Street
Dumfries
Dumfries and Galloway
DG1 1BY

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