It’s been a record year for dairy units in the south west with four of the six finalists in the 2019 NMR RABDF Gold Cup coming from the region.

NMR RABDF Gold Cup Judges, RABDF chairman and Somerset producer Peter Alvis, NMR chairman and Angelsy producer Trevor Lloyd and 2016 Gold Cup winner from Dorset Simon Bugler will decide on a winner to be announced at Dairy-Tech, Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire on February 5, 2020.

The finalists from the south west are:

Elizabeth Birkett, Rookhaye Farm, Bowerchalke, Salisbury

South West Farmer:

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. “Genetics has played a vital role in improving our herd and it’s an area where we have invested heavily during the past few years,” adds Liz.

“We select bulls on PLI – we set a minimum of £500 – as well as feet and legs, udder traits, fertility, and lifespan. Maiden heifers are served on average, at 15 months old, with the first two services to sexed Holstein semen,” she explains.

Pregnancy rate is 22% with cows averaging 2.04 services per pregnancy and heifers averaging 1.5.

“We are also just seeing the results from genomic testing, which we started in January 2018. This has offered us the potential to accelerate the herd’s rate of genetic gain and to boost performance. I am excited to see how they will perform compared to their cohorts.”

Liz is also involved with conservation groups and works hard to improve farm management systems to work with the natural habitat in the area.

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Stowell Farms, West Stowell, Marlborough

South West Farmer:

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, e farm manager, and 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.

Improvements in fertility see calving index standing at 387days “This index has been achieved by improvements in conception rate and an increasing pregnancy rate. The latter has increased from 18% to 27%, with a current 12-month rolling average of 25%, explains Bryn.”

He adds, “The Cow Manager eartag system has played a big part in this success, but the skill and attention to detail of the team is also important.”

Mastitis cases stood at 100 cases per 100 cows four years ago. “Today we sit at 18 cases per 100 and that figure is still falling,” says Bryn.

Bryn says that the team at Stowell is highly valued: “It is, without doubt, our most important asset,” he stresses. “Ensuring that our staff feel valued and appreciated is key to our operation.”

Genomic testing is the next move that Bryn is considering helping advance herd health and productivity.

“Expansion is key to the efficiency of this unit and now we have strong foundations in place we are motivated to grow quickly,” he says. “Plans have recently been approved to increase the housing on site to increase herd size to 680 cows.”

Becci Berry, Brimstone Farm, Coleshill, Swindon

South West Farmer:

Until 2011 Becci worked in equine PR, but the tragic death of her husband, Richard, resulted in her stepping into manage the family.

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. Cell count is 176,000 cells/ml.

The farm formerly ran a Friesian herd, but gradually moved to Holstein bloodlines to increase milk production. Before Richard’s death, he had introduced a cross-breeding programme with the aim of reducing cow stature, as well as improving health traits and longevity using Scandinavian reds, Monbeliarde and Brown Swiss.

“The crossbreds are much easier to manage, and performance has not been compromised. Fertility figures reflect this – we have a pregnancy rate of 29% and run at two services per pregnancy. Replacement rate is 22%, which illustrates the improved longevity of the herd,” she adds.

Health is a priority for Becci and it is an area of herd management that she has developed significantly. “Reducing antibiotic use has been a focus, working with protocols to prevent and minimise treatments. We are in health schemes for Johne’s BVD, IBR, and mastitis.”

Becci continually assesses all areas of the business, and grazing has been an area she identified as one that needed better utilisation. “I feel we can make huge improvements in milk from grass. During the past couple of years I have introduced a paddock grazing system. Turning the cows out earlier in the year is desirable if we can save on feed costs. In 2019 we managed one rotation in February/March and were able to conserve an extra 50t of forage.”

As a National Trust tenant with footpaths through the farm, Becci is acutely aware of public perception. “Social media can be a huge opportunity not only for individual producers, but also the industry to get our message out there and provide facts to consumers.

Looking forward, Becci intends to do ‘more of the same but better and simpler’

Andrew King, Barrington Organic Partnership, Barrington, Ilminster

South West Farmer:

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 first challenge was to build a more efficient and uniform herd of cows,” says Andy. “We stuck with black-and-white genetics but looked for a more Friesian type of cow that would be resilient, a good grazer, and convert forages to milk.”

Today, 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. “Breeding our own replacements means that we’re more in control. The herd is more uniform and consistent. We aim for easy-care cows with a good temperament and that are suited to our organic system.”

Andy says that it’s the day-to-day commitment of their staff that has helped make a success of the business. “It’s very much a team approach.”

Richard Coombes, joined them in 2009 and is now farm manager. They have placement students each year.

“We’re really committed to helping students who want to develop their careers in the industry,” says Andy, who hopes their success in the Gold Cup will attract other eager students to apply for a placement with them.

The all-year-round calving herd grazes on clover-based swards from April to October.

“We grow about 30 hectares of red clover and 20 hectares of lucerne. Both crops are selected for their high palatability and protein content and are these are fed in TMR with minimal ‘balancing’ of the ration using a concentrate blend.”

The TMR also includes the high energy forages fodder beet and wholecrop spring barley, alongside grass silage. This produces about 3,900 litres of milk per cow and is nudging on 50% of total average milk production.

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