Every day, thousands of dairy calves are separated from their mothers at birth. A Dairy Story follows a husband-and-wife team as they risk everything to prove there’s another way.
This is a story about the bonds that matter most. It addresses universal themes of connection, and topics of animal sentience, the environment and system change.
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.
Letterboxd reviewers said:
“The kind of doc that makes you genuinely care about something you otherwise wouldn’t have thought about for longer than a few minutes.”
“Beautifully shot, and evidently made with so much care for the subject - hard not to want to support this after watching.”
What is cow-with-calf dairy?
In conventional dairy farming, calves are separated from their mothers within hours of birth. It is standard practice across the industry, and most consumers have no idea it happens.
Cow-with-calf dairy, sometimes called calf-at-foot dairy, is a system in which calves remain with their mothers, typically for several months, before weaning.
With 130 dairy cows rearing their own calves till six months of age, Rainton Farm is Europe’s first commercial scale cow-with-calf dairy operation. A Dairy Story is the story of how it was built, what it cost, and what it proved.
Film Specifications
Runtime: 78 minutes
Completion: August 2025
Shooting Format: 4K Digital
Aspect Ratio: 2:1
Sound: 5.1
Language: English with optional subtitles available
Available Formats: DCP
Winner of the Louis Marcus Award for Best Documentary (IndieCork 2025), Audience Award (Central Scotland Documentary Festival 2025), and further festival recognition.
Production Notes
A Dairy Story was filmed over two years using primarily a single camera approach that prioritised minimal interference with the farm’s daily operations. Filming took place across all seasons, capturing the full cycle of farm life from spring calving through winter housing.
The production was guided by a commitment to animal welfare, with all filming conducted in accordance with the farm’s existing low-stress routines.
The documentary incorporates archive footage by Sid Ambrose and Bruce McKenzie, which provides context for David and Wilma’s pioneering work.
Credits
Directed, filmed and edited by Ian Findlay
Written and produced by Lorna Young
Original score by Finlay Harrison & Lewis Findlay
Archive footage by Bruce McKenzie & Sid Ambrose
Filmmaker’s Statement
Several high-profile films have shone a spotlight on animal welfare issues in the dairy industry. This is a film about a potential solution, developed by two people who chose to trust nature over industry convention.
Our approach was to step back, stay quiet, and let the farm speak for itself. At all times we were mindful that we were guests in the cows and calves’ home. We followed the seasons, the animals, and Wilma and David’s lead, allowing their story to unfold in its own time and on its own terms.
We set out to tell the story of the transformation of a farm. What we captured was so much more. At its heart this film asks what makes a life worth living. In Wilma and David’s love for each other, and in the bonds between the dairy cows and their calves, we find an answer.
The result is what we hope feels less like a documentary and more like an invitation to step inside a world where doing the right thing matters more than doing what’s expected.
Ian Findlay & Lorna Young