2019-12-27 |
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Meet the 2019 RABDF Gold Cup Finalists
The Gold Cup has made its name as the UK's premier herd competition - rewarding excellence in dairying.
The announcement of the 2019 winner will once again take place at Dairy-Tech on Wednesday 5th February 2020 with all six finalists and the presentation of the competition's associated awards - Silver Salver, Lilyhill, Murchland and Chris May Memorial.
RABDF / NMR Gold Cup
Gavin Davies and Bryn Moore
Stowell Farms
For the second year in a row, the outstanding achievements of Stowell Farms have been nationally recognised. A major investment was made in the dairy enterprise in 2011, when a brand-new unit was constructed with a view to significantly expanding the 140-cow herd. Today the 526-cow herd is milked, three times a day, through a 38-point Boumatic Xpedia internal rotary parlour. Gavin Davies, farm manager, oversees the whole estate, and day-to-day herd management is the responsibility of Bryn Moore. Bryn joined the business in 2015, with ambitious targets to improve herd performance.
Andrew and Rosemary King
Barrington Organic
Andy and Rosemary King started the Barrington Organic Partnership in 2008 when they had the opportunity to take on the 220-hectares at Thong Dairy Farm, near Ilminster ‘lock-stock-and-barrel.’ the Barrington team manages a herd of 243 cows, averaging 7,882 kg of milk at 3.75% fat, 3.17% protein and a cell count of 74,000 cells/ml on twice a day milking. The herd has been closed for the past seven years and all replacements are now home bred. Richard Coombes, joined them in 2009 and is now farm manager. They have placement students each year.
Robert and Bryce Sloan
Darnlaw Farm
Robert Sloan runs the 180-cow Townlaw Holstein herd at Darnlaw Farm, in Auchinleck near Ayr, with his parents Bryce and Anne. The herd has been based at Darnlaw for more than 40 years and in 2011 the decision was made to switch to robotic milking, in a new purpose-built shed on a greenfield site. The average yield is 11,980kg at 3.99% butterfat and 3.13% protein with a SCC of 116,000/ml. The herd is housed all year round and milked through three Lely robots. In 2016 they took the opportunity to fulfil a specialist Jersey milk contract from milk buyer Graham’s Dairy and established Darnlaw Jerseys.
John, Margaret & Stuart Harvey
Firm of A Harvey
The Harvey family run their 350-cow pedigree Killywhan Holstein herd, at Drum Farm in Beeswing near Dumfries. The focus has always been on healthy, high production cows, optimising cow comfort, nutrition, health and welfare. This has enabled the herd to produce high levels of milk solids – 960kg in 2018 – with an average yield of 13,643kg of milk, at 3.8% fat and 3.13% protein with a cell count of 72,000 cells/ml on three times a day milking. The cows are not only high yielding but also robust, with a lifetime daily yield for the herd of more than 20kg per day of life.
Becci Berry
Brimstone Farm
Farming in partnership with her in laws, Michael and Mary Berry, Becci is the managing partner of the 356ha National Trust farm, working closely alongside her team – herdswoman Gillian Maconochie, and two tractor drivers/stockmen. The herd totals 166 crossbreds with an average yield of 8,824 litres of milk, at 3.81% butterfat and 3.27% protein, on twice a day milking. The farm formerly ran a Friesian herd, but gradually moved to Holstein bloodlines to increase milk production. Before Becci’s husband’s death, he had introduced a cross-breeding programme with the aim of reducing cow stature, as well as improving health traits and longevity.
Liz Birkett
Rookhaye Estate
Returning to the family farm in 2000, Liz Birkett committed to focus on strengthening the farm business, based at Rookhaye Farm, near Salisbury in Wiltshire. Liz’s focus has always been cow comfort, health and welfare, believing that getting that right would be reflected in animal performance and profitability. The 153-cow herd is managed on a high input-high-output system. The herd is grazed from mid-April until the end of July and a buffer TMR is also fed to ensure that maintenance and milk yield requirements are met. The herd averages 10,398kg of milk, at 3.88% fat and 3.24% protein, on twice-a-day milking with a cell count of 112,000 cells/ml.
