Six 'All Round' Herds Compete for Dairy Gold Cup
30/08/05

Six dairy farms, from Wiltshire to Cumbria and including two Jersey herds, have made it through to this year's final of the NMR/RABDF Gold Cup and will come under the scrutiny of the competition's judging panel.

Having combined technical production and business achievements to reach the last stages, finalists will have to demonstrate their attention to herd management, overall business policy and plans for the future, taking account of changes in the industry.

Richard and David Butler, East Wick Farm, Marlborough, Wiltshire
Teamwork and consistent attention to detail is key to father-and-son partnership Richard and David Butler's successful management of their 185-cow commercial Holstein herd at East Wick Farm, near Marlborough, Wiltshire.

They have close links with their milk buyer - Waitrose - who insists on high levels of animal welfare and environmental management. They consider the challenge of meeting the high standards well worth the effort.

During the past year they have been improving facilities by roofing the cow feeding area and adding additional cubicle housing, which is being built to give the herd more room. Slurry storage capacity has also been doubled.

Production has also improved during the past few years. And genetics have played a key role. Bulls that produce daughters with improved longevity and yields have been used.

The Butler's efforts are paying off. The herd's average yield for 2004 stood at 9,402kg of milk, with 4.02% fat and 3.18% protein, and a somatic cell count of 122,000 cells/ml.

Stephen Bendall, New Farm, Marksbury, Bath, Somerset
Reaching the final round for the first time is Stephen Bendall from Marksbury near Bath, Somerset. Farming with his brother Andrew, who looks after the arable business, and father John, Stephen and herdsman Gavin Taylor manage the Pensdown herd of 145 pedigree Holstein Friesians on the 170-hectare Duchy of Cornwall farm.

By managing the cows as individuals, Stephen has seen cow performance improve. Average yields are now at 10,450kg of milk per cow at 3.8% fat and 3.19% protein, with a margin over purchased feed of £1,335.

Looking ahead, with the possibility of nephew Richard joining the business, cow numbers may need to be increased to 250. These will hopefully be homebred. Further ahead, Stephen, doesn't rule out contracting out heifer rearing.

One of the biggest challenges the Bendalls see is the political situation. But despite being disappointed by the continued low milk prices, they see a ray of hope for the industry in the future for partnership deals like the ASDA and Arla supply contract, which they believe demonstrates more transparent costings.

John Round, Elmore Back Farm, Elmore, Gloucester
John Round from Elmore, near Gloucester, runs his 270-strong herd on 135 hectares with help from full-time herdsmen Geoff Bates and Martin Kendall, and farm labourer Mark Reynolds.

The team has made considerable progress since last year - the herd average is now at 11,730kg of milk at 3.80% butterfat and 3.18% protein in 2004 - up by 1,000kg compared to 2003's figures and pushing total milk sales up towards the three-million-litre mark.

Calving pattern is spread in order to provide the business's milk buyer Dairy Crest with a level supply, and the herd is fed a TMR inside all year round.

John is focusing on consolidating at the moment, rather than expanding, and part of that is continuing to increase milk yields - through breeding and feeding. Cows are bred for increased milk yield and also type to improve longevity and maintain the herd's current replacement rate of 18%.

Nils Kirkutkis, Grosvenor Farms Ltd, Chapel House Farm, Bruera, Cheshire
Maximising cow comfort and paying meticulous attention to detail are top priorities for head herdsman Nils Kurkutakis, along with assistant herdsmen David Carr and Mike Morris at Grosvenor Farms' Chapel House Farm.

The Holstein herd averaged 9,942kg of milk, at 3.62% butterfat and 3.15% protein in 2004Somatic cell count (SCC) for the year ending September 2004 was 188,000 cells/ml with a Bactoscan of 28.

Management is always being fine-tuned to keep cows fit and healthy. The milking routine, in the recently expanded 24:24 herringbone parlour, involves pre dipping, dry wiping, foremilking, and post spraying to help prevent mastitis.

Mark Roach handles the financial side of the dairy business and that too has gone from strength to strength by consolidating the business and driving costs down so that, when the time is right, they can expand.

Diversification - making alternative use of buildings and land, or building equestrian facilities - is also on the cards, as this will spread the risk of an investment.

Ian and Sally Macalpine, Laneside Farm, Waddington, Clitheroe, Lancashire
Just three years after restocking their unit, Ian and Sally Macalpine, with help fromherdsman Les Helliwell, from Waddington, near Clitheroe, in Lancashire, have seen their 195-cow pedigree Ribblesdale Jersey herd reach the final six vying for the top prize.

They restocked in 2002 after their Holstein herd was culled due to foot-and-mouth disease in 2001. The herd is averaging 5,714kg of milk at 6.29% butterfat and 3.96% protein in 2004, with a SCC of 145,000cells/ml and a Bactoscan of 18. Milk is sold to Longley Farms for yoghurt and cream and Ian is easily able to meet the buyer's quality and hygiene requirements.

The herd, as well as 110 young stock, is run on 85 hectares at Laneside Farm and although the unit is in a good grass growing area, the heavy clay soil and high rainfall mean that grazing seasons can be short - just three months in summer - and it's not always easy to utilise the grass.

Ian cares for his farm's environment, as well as the needs of his herd, and the unit has entered the Entry Level Scheme. He has regenerated hedges with laying and gap filling.

Pleased with the Jerseys, Ian plans to expand herd numbers to 220 cows by Christmas. In a bid to free up space and labour for the extra cows, heifers are already being contract reared on another local farm.

Steven and Claire Bland, Abbott Lodge, Clifton, Penrith, Cumbria
Steven and his wife Claire lost their Holstein herd to foot-and-mouth disease in 2001 and restocked with Jerseys. Now, their 140-strong pedigree herd, based at Abbott Lodge, near Clifton, Penrith, is averaging 6,362kg of milk, at 5.43% butterfat and 3.84% protein, with a somatic cell count of 157,000 cells/ml.

Around 90% of the milk from the herd is sold via First Milk to Longley Farms, with the remainder being processed on farm into Abbott Lodge Jersey ice-cream. This is sold in the farm's tearoom - another new addition to the unit.

Steven is in the process of entering the unit into the Entry Level Scheme and believes it could get onto the Higher Level Scheme as they sow mostly spring cereals and the grey partridge do very well on the farm.

The herd is predominantly US Jerseys - commercial cows that last a long time - but they have also done well in the show ring taking the titles of Champion Jersey and Reserve Supreme Dairy Champion at the Penrith Show.

The winner of the NMR/RABDF Gold Cup 2005 will be announced at this year's Dairy Event, at Stoneleigh, on September 21.