Garstang family agricultural business Hoofcount celebrate ten years of success this summer

Hoofcount is the family run agricultural business, which started out ten years ago by Anthony Marsh with the support of his wife Jane from their Preston home when Anthony was working with cows and with his ‘engineering mind’ realised the need for automating footbaths.

Jane soon left her job as a teacher to support her husband and the business now employs over a dozen staff, including the couple's daughters.

The business is based in Barnacre, across two sites they manufacture all their own equipment. Now, shipping internationally and currently supplying their automating footbaths to 17 countries across Europe as well as Canada and America, Hoofcount is continuing to grow year on year.

Anthony Marsh, dairy engineer and founder of Hoofcount Ltd, said: “It feels worthwhile to have started in Garstang and now be shipping internationally. As a family business we all have our own responsibilities and we make a good team.

“Each Hoofcount bath is designed, folded and built in our continuously growing workshops in Lancashire. As a family business we pride ourselves in this as well as our bond with farmers all across the world.

“There are always struggles when owning a business. Especially managing a rapidly growing business. For example we have struggled with space as we have grown, we keep outgrowing the space we are in. We have managed by building our own place and extending what we have. We are always looking for ways to keep everywhere tidy and use space efficiently.

“My advice to budding entrepreneurs would be to do what you enjoy and work hard at it. Everything takes dedication and time.”

Hoofcount have received many awards such as the Be Inspired Business Awards (BIBAs) for ‘Micro Business Of The Year’ two years running and ‘Growth Business Of The Year’. Hoofcount were also shortlisted in the British farming awards for ‘Agricultural Innovator Of The Year’.

The local business also recently received a funding grant, which is helping them on their mission to develop new products to benefit the agricultural industry and improve herd health on farms.