REASEHEATH College's agriculture students had a first-hand introduction to large scale farming during a visit to one of America's leading dairy and arable states.

The Nantwich college's study tour to Wisconsin took in one of the area's largest dairy units and a farm-based cheese manufacturer.

Final year diploma students also looked at a beef farm, large scale maize production and the American Breeders Service.

Agricultural lecturer Iain Clarke said: "This was a brilliant opportunity for the students to compare the farming industry in the US to that of Britain.

"The summer is shorter and dryer in Wisconsin so the cattle are kept indoors for longer than they would in the UK.

"The dairy herds are also much larger - the one we visited had 1,300 cows and was looking to double that number."