Dairy Event 2010: Gold Cup finalists

The King Family

Dorchester, Dorset

As the only surviving finalist from last year’s competition the King family are rightly proud of their dairy farming operation at Martinstown. And in the last year the family has demonstrated its confidence in the future of the sector by further investing in their facilities. A new parlour has been installed and the outdated cow kennels have also gone.

The herd now numbers 240 milking cows, with the herd’s replacement rate now down at 12%, and average yields standing at 11,386kg at 3.59% fat and 2.95% protein on three times a day milking.

Neil Baker

Crewkerne, Somerset

A large herd with a big future is central to Neil Baker’s dairy farming success, with the 830-cow herd at Haselbury Plucknett supplying milk to Mr Baker’s own cheese making operation which produces about 270t of vintage cheddar a year.

Selling about 8m litres of milk a year Mr Baker is aiming to be milking 1200 cows by autumn 2011 and selling 12m litres a year. Cows are milked through an 80 point rotary which he feels is capable of handling up to 3000 cows if required.

And, with home-produced cheese the key component in the farm’s income herd health is a top priority, resulting in fewer than 10 cases of mastitis for every 100 cows and a stated aim of eradicating it from the herd in the next few years. Cows are also mobility scored every two weeks, and any scoring two or three are examined and treated immediately.

Central to this excellence is the farm’s staff and particularly the two herd managers John Womack and Richard Goodwin who look after milking and herd health respectively. Mr Baker says this allows staff to focus on their area of expertise and cows benefit because corners aren’t being cut.

Mary Mead

Blagdon, Bristol

While most of the dairy sector has headed for Holstein genetics Mary Mead has stuck true to the British Friesian and is reaping the benefits of doing so.

Average for the 400-cow Lakemead herd stands at 7764kg at 4.08% fat and 3.32% protein with an average cell count of 136,000/ml.

Mrs Mead aims to breed farmer friendly cows with a good balance of production plus strong feet and good fertility, believing it is no good having lifespan without production.

Explaining the decision to stick true to the Friesian type, Mrs Mead says the farm grows plenty of grass, including good white and red clover leys as well as producing whole-crop and crimped grain and the Friesian is an ideal robust cow that can handle summer grazing and make the most of the forage portion of the winter diet.

The breed also allows the farm to earn extra income from male calves, crossbred cows and cull cows, with a further 10 carefully selected dairy bulls sold to other herds and AI centres.

Barry Coombes

Wedmore, Somerset

A total of 195 Holsteins are now milked in the Larkmore herd of Barry Coombes, with a further 12 Ayrshires also milked on the farm the family moved to seven years ago.

When Mr Coombes took on the farm it was in need of major refurbishment, with nearly all the grassland reseeded and a new parlour installed too.

As a result, the herd, which has doubled in size in the same time and also made the transition to pedigree status, now averages 10,700kg at 4.03% fat and 3.07% protein and an average SCC of 110,000/ml.

Forage plays a central role in the production plans at New Grove Farm, with nearly half the milk coming from forage which is then topped up by a maximum of 11kg of concentrate a day, 6kg fed outside the parlour and 5kg fed in the parlour.

Michael and Chris King

Iron Acton, Bristol

Brothers Michael and Chris King are so confident in the future of the dairy sector that in the past four years cow numbers have increased by 25% to 560, with 314 cows in the milking herd, while a £98,000 improvement plan for the housing and slurry handling facilities has just been completed.

Production stands at 9843kg a cow at 3.85% fat and 3.15% protein with cell counts averaging 184,000/ml.

The herd’s low replacement rate – 11% – has been helped by the introduction of novel technologies, such as the Stepmatrix weight platform for locomotion assessment. The brothers say lameness has fallen by 50% since its installation and the system has paid for itself in just 15 months.

Cows are milked twice a day and are fed a flat rate mixed ration based on grass and maize silage, with high yielders and heifers housed all year-round with minimal diet changes to reduce stress and ensure milk quality remains high.

Milk is sold to Farmright with the business heavily involved in producing milk for niche markets, with the latest innovation including trial work in functional milk products.

Chris Simmons

Wotton-under-Edge, Gloucestershire

Expansion has also been the order of the day for Gloucestershire producer Chris Simmons, with cow numbers in the 282-cow herd having risen by 30 in the last year and the long-term aim for the herd to hit 350-cows.

Milk from the herd which averages 11,446kg at 3.7% fat and 3.27% protein, is sold to Lucy’s Dairy, a company run by Chris’ wife which supplies milk and cream to local outlets and doorstep deliveries. Surplus milk goes to Farmright on a premium liquid contract.

But, despite the increase in numbers and diversification into retailing, cow health and welfare remain at the top of Chris and his father, Lionel’s agenda. And central to this is three times a day milking which Chris believes is essential to maintain health as cows are seen more frequently, allowing the slighest changes to be noticed.

Recognition of this excellence in health and longevity has come in the form of the Chris May memorial award which the herd has won for the past two years, for the herd with the highest average lifetime yield among Gold Cup qualifying herds.

Messrs Higgins

Pulversbatch, Shrewsbury

Andrew and Bill Higgins have a simple philosophy which drives the management of the 245-cow Holstein herd they run in partnership with their parents Bill and Margaret – “Look after the cows and the cows will look after you”.

It is a philosophy which is clearly working with the herd at the top of the NMR annual production report for the year ending September 2009, with cows averaging 12,444kg at 3.72% fat and 3.08% protein on three times a day milking.

The herd’s management is shared equally by Andrew and Bill with input from both parents, and while Andrew is responsible for the breeding work, including AI, breeding and pedigrees, he also deals with the fieldwork, liasing with contractors. Meanwhile, Bill manages the feeding and nutrition of the herd to maximise health and output. Forage, in the form of grass and maize silages forms the basis of the ration.

But, the herd isn’t chasing yields, with Andrew saying that high yields are merely a side effect of having healthy, happy, long-lasting cows.

James Burrow

Preston, Lancashire

Following a theme common among other Gold Cup finalists James Burrow has expanded the herd at Barton in recent years, from a starting point of 20 cows in 2006, the herd now numbers 215 cows which yield 9786kg at 4.09% butterfat and 3.29% protein.

James’ parents sold most of their original herd in 2006 when James then took on the tenancy of the farm with his wife Krisha. Numbers have been building up ever since and the herd is now at the point where surplus stock are available for sale, providing a welcome additional source of income.

The aim is to breed trouble free cows capable of yielding well from grass, with sires selected for lifespan as well as SCC and fertility scores. Longevity is key to profitability for James and he hopes every cow can achieve a lifetime yield of 50,000 litres and in many cases exceed this target.