Entries open for Gold Cup dairy competition
Entries are now open for the 2020 NMR RABDF Gold Cup competition, which this year celebrates its centenary.
The award, which was launched in 1920, recognises dairy business efficiency and has been won by some of the country’s most influential dairy farmers.
© Tim Scrivener
Dairy businesses are eligible for entry through four routes: two give automatic qualification based on official milk recording data and meeting either criteria for all year-round calving herds or for spring or autumn block calving herds (see box: criteria for entry).
See also:Â Metcalfe Farms wins Gold Cup award
Herds can also be nominated by their discussion or grazing group, or through a designated nominating company where a set of benchmarks should be achieved.
How to enter
Entrants must complete a comprehensive online application that will ask for background on the dairy business including production, management and financial details, environmental schemes and future plans.
Applications must be submitted by 31 July 2020 for review by a judging panel. A shortlist of finalists will go on to the next round. That will involve a farm inspection later in 2020.
The winner of the 2020 NMR RABDF Gold Cup will be announced at Dairy-Tech on 3 February 2021. An open day will then take place at the winning farm in summer 2021.
More details about the award and how to enter can be found on the RABDF website
Criteria for entry
In all cases, herds entering the Gold Cup 2020 should have met the following criteria in the 12 months to September 30, 2019:
- More than 100 cows/heifers with qualifying lactations in the milking herd
- Annual somatic cell count average of 200,000 cells/ml or less, or 250,000 cells/ml for organic herds
- Minimum £PLI value specific to the breed or minimum £SCI or £ACI value.