Silage winners

LAST year was undoubtedly one of the most challenging for making top quality silage, but it proved a winner for two Aberdeenshire farmers who won the lead awards in the pit and bale sections of the North of Scotland Norgrass silage competition.
Drew and Ian Thomson, Middleton of Potterton, Potterton, triumphed to lift the tri-colour in the pit section with a first cut sample which produced a D-value of 75.6% with a dry matter content of 335g/kg; ME of 12.1MJ/kgDM; protein 124g/kg DM and pH of 4.1.
Bale winner, David Winton, Haugh Farm, Birse, Aboyne, won with a second cut sample which recorded a D-value of 68.1%, with a DM content of 424g/kg; ME of 10.9MJ/kg DM; protein 161g/kg DM and pH of 4.7

LEADING awards

Pit silage – 1, D and I Thomson, Middleton of Potterton; 2, Andrew Farquharson, Finzean Estate, Banchory; 3, William Willis, Glasgoforest, Kinellar. Best new entrant – Mrs Jean McLean, Mains of Culsh, New Deer.
Bale silage – 1, David Winton, Haugh Farm; 2, Ms Coralie Henke, Newton Dee Farm, Bieldside, Aberdeen; 3, Murray Cooper, Backhill of Thornton, Bourtrie. Best new entrant – David Winton.

East of Scotland winners

Overall winner of the East of Scotland silage competition was the leader from the bale section, consigned by Peter Eccles, Saughland, Pathhead, with the reserve going to the beef pit winner, G Barr, Thirlestane, Lauder.
For the second year in succession, Stuart Dalgleish, Balgownie, Culross, won the dairy section, with R Buchanan, Pow, Kinross, coming a close second.

LEADING awards

Dairy – 1, S Dalgleish, Balgownie, Culross; 2, R Buchanan, Pow, Kinross. Beef – 1, G Barr, Thirlestane, Lauder; 2, G Yarr, Witton, Edzell. Bale – 1, P Eccles, Saughland, Pathhead; 2 and new entrant, S Gilchrist, Ingraston, West Linton.
        

South-west silage winners

County awards – Ayrshire – 1, M and R Hamilton, Barmoorhill, Tarbolton, Ayr. Dumfries – 1, K and I Millar and Sons, Trailflat, Lochmaben, Lockerbie. Stewartry – D and M Yates, East Logan, Castle Douglas. Wigtownshire – J McKay and Son, Broughton Mains, Sorbie, Newton Stewart.
YFC – Dairy – 1, Matthew, Ewan and Tom McTaggart, Rascarrel, Auchencairn, Castle Douglas; 2, Andrew McWilliam, Colfin Farm, Lochans, Stranraer; 3, Robert Ramsay, Lodge of Kelton, Castle Douglas. Beef – 1, Stuart Cowan, East Lanegate, Lockerbie; 2, Craig Marshall, Auchinleck, Auchencairn, Castle Douglas.
Open dairy – 1, J Rome, Ingleston, Irongray, Dumfries; 2, B Yates, East Logan, Castle Douglas; 3, A McKay, Broughton Mains, Sorbie.