An animal welfare project is set to be carried out on a Dorset farm thanks to grant funding.

Farmer Will Tizzard, 23, has been awarded a £5,250 grant through McDonald’s, which he will use to buy a straw spreader to make more comfortable bedding for his 370 cows.

The McDonald’s Grant Scheme, with a total investment of £500,000, launched in March this year. The initiative was set up to support the future of the British dairy industry and fund applications that are focused on raising animal welfare standards, providing economic benefit to the farmer’s business or making environmental improvements. £156,000 has been paid out to 19 farmers around the UK so far.

Will said: “Straw spreaders are used to disperse the straw bales across a covered yard to give cows a soft dry area to lie on and rest, improving their sleeping conditions. These are normally used in winter, when the cows sleep indoors for warmth and comfort. With the new straw spreader, we can make sure the cows have clean and comfy bedding quickly, allowing us more time to focus on wider herd health priorities.

“I can’t thank McDonald’s enough for giving us the opportunity to purchase such a state-of-the-art equipment. The application process was very straightforward and I would urge other Arla farmers who wish to invest in any aspect of their farm to apply for the next round of the McDonald’s farming grants.”

Will, who farms near Blandford, is one of 2,400 Arla farmers across the country.

Arla Foods supplies organic milk to McDonalds UK. The companies have a long standing partnership that spans over 30 years and has seen a number of collaborations when it comes to agriculture initiatives.

Alice Willett, agriculture consultant, sustainable sourcing, said: “We’re proud to source from farmers that care. Which is why when our research showed us that livestock farmers wanted to invest in improving animal welfare we were able to use our Farm Forward programme to make it possible.”

Research commissioned by McDonald’s Restaurants Ltd and conducted by the National Farm Research Unit, found that 88% of farmers believe that high welfare standards are vital to making UK farming globally competitive, with almost two thirds stating that individual farmers are responsible for driving animal welfare – highlighting the importance of the scheme.

Graham Wilkson, from Arla Foods, added: “The McDonald’s grant scheme is another example of the ongoing support McDonald’s has provided to Arla’s UK farmer owners over the last 30 years. Ongoing farm investment is key to ensure that Arla’s farmer owners stay at the forefront of farm productivity, efficiency and animal care.

“Arla’s UK farmers can benefit from the grant scheme and we encourage those who are interested to take advantage of a scheme that has been designed to support them and their business.”