Gold Cup winners to host farm open day

Identifying marginal gains and shaping the future will be the main themes of the day when 2016 RABDF/NMR Gold Cup winners Roland and Simon Bugler open the gates at Pilsdon Dairy Farm, Dorset, on Wednesday 28 June.

The father/son partnership will be revealing the story behind the successes that won them the Gold Cup accolade last year.

It will look at their detailed approach to cost management and the way they have restructured the business to allow investment and a viable succession plan that works for the wider family.

See also: Livestock Event 2016: Gold Cup winner announced

There will also be sessions on optimising milking management, succession and long-term business planning, which will be delivered by The Dairy Group and Evolution ABS.

Topics will include the use of multi-cut grass silage systems and the innovative processes and thinking required for future breeding.  

Foot trimming demonstrations will be carried out by Steve Paul throughout the day and visitors will also have the opportunity to see the new calf unit that has been developed, utilising old buildings, to rear calves at Waterhouse Farm.

Here calves are reared in hutches then housed in small groups on straw yards before being moved to cubicles at seven to eight months of age. 

Key topics

Host farmer Simon Bugler says he’s delighted to be able to showcase the farm, dairy herd and calf unit at the open day, and hopes to learn as much from visitors as they learn from the visit.

He says: “We hope the event will attract people from far and wide who are looking to find out more about some key topics currently relevant within the industry. 

“We have a great programme lined up, with some very interesting speakers, focusing on areas that have been vital to our success. I hope visitors will be able to take home some key points and apply them to their own businesses – we look forward to the discussion, giving us ideas too.”

For more information on the event or to pre-register online, which is a must, visit www.rabdf.co.uk/gold-cup or call the office on 02476 639 317.