NMR announces top-ranking herds
John Shropshire’s herd from Bridge Farm in Market Drayton, Shropshire, has moved into top place in the Holstein herd production rankings, published in the latest NMR annual production report. The report ranks all recorded herds based on fat and protein production for the year ending September 2012.
Mr Shropshire runs the herd with his sister Melanie Phillips. In the past 12 months they have increased production from their 49-cow herd to move from 33rd place in 2012 to this year’s top spot. The herd recorded a yield of 13,433kg of milk, with 908kg of fat and protein on a robotic milking system. Calving interval for the herd was 426 days.
In second place and moving up from 14th position is Andrew Deacon’s 236-cow herd from Boyes Farm near Preston in Lancashire. This family farm is run by Mr Deacon and his mother Jean. This pedigree herd produced 12,621kg of milk and 885kg of fat and protein on three-times-a-day milking. Calving interval for the herd was 446 days.
Dorset producer Nick Cobb keeps his place in the top three. His 731-cow Chalclyffe herd from Dorchester averaged 12,917kg of milk and 874kg of fat and protein on three-times-a-day milking. This herd reduced its calving interval by a day to 383 days, recording the lowest interval in the top 10 herds and the third lowest in NMR’s top 1% of Holstein herds.
Fourth place – and moving up from fifth – is the Higgins’ Wilderley Hall herd from Pulverbatch in Shropshire. Milked three times a day and with 230 recorded lactations, the average yield was 12,718kg, with 870kg of fat and protein. Calving interval for the herd was 433 days.
In fifth place was 2012’s number-one herd, Gerald Allsop’s Enchmarsh herd from Church Stretton in Shropshire. His 68 cows averaged 11,576kg of milk, with 868kg of fat and protein on twice-a-day milking and had a calving interval of 397 days.
New to the top 10 and in sixth place is Stuart Harvey’s herd from Beeswing, Dumfries. Mother Margaret and sons Stuart and John’s 211 cows averaged 11,913kg of milk and 862kg of fat and protein on three-times-a-day milking. The average calving interval was 404 days. This herd was also presented with the 2012 AgriScot Scottish Dairy Farm of the Year award at the event in November 2012.
Also within the top 10 and newcomer to NMR’s top 1% are the Sercombes from Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire. In eighth place, this herd of 32 cows produced 11,726kg of milk and 844kg of fat and protein.
Another newcomer and in ninth position, equal with Mike Miller’s Gold Cup-winning herd from Evesham, is father-and-son team Eifon and Wyn Jones from Llandyfaelog near Carmarthen.
The Jones’ herd of 142 cows recorded a yield of 10,983kg of milk and 842kg of fat and protein on twice-a-day milking. This herd also won the Jones and Lloyd Cup in the 2012 Carmarthenshire Herds competition for the highest number of points on inspection and production within large herds.
Other breeds
The Ayrshire breed sees a line-up of three new herds at the top, with Tony Hack’s herd from Ceredigion in top place, followed by the Harvey’s herd from Cornwall in second place. In contrast to these two small herds of eight and seven cows respectively, Mark Callander’s 683-cow herd from Castle Douglas, Dumfries, is in third place with 9,382kg of milk and 676kg of fat and protein on three-times-a-day milking. The herd average calving interval was 391 days.
Two herds, both owned and run by the Wadmans from Holton near Wincanton in Somerset, are new to the top 1% and in places one and two. A family farm, son Ian keeps a small herd of 13 cows within the family’s larger herd of 183 cows that averaged 6,772kg of milk and 731kg of fat and protein with a calving interval of 390 days. Ian’s herd, in top place, averaged 7,283kg of milk with 772kg of fat and protein. Dedicated Jersey enthusiasts, parents Jean and Claude are well known as breed judges around the world.
A newcomer at the top of the Friesian rankings is Brian Archer’s 123-cow herd from Hilton, Derby. This herd averaged 8,742kg of milk and 630kg of fat and protein with a calving interval of 410 days.
Keep up to date with all the latest show and sales news