A SCOTTISH dairy herd has won a prestigious dairy farming award – the Harvey family from Dumfries were rewarded for having the highest lifetime daily yield at last week's Dairy-Tech event, in Stoneleigh.

The Harveys – brothers John (a columnist in The SF) and Stuart, and their mother, Margaret – achieved a top LDY of 20.62kg/cow/day, reflecting top performance for milk production, health, fertility and longevity in their herd of 270 pedigree Holstein cows. The herd has also ranked top of NMR’s annual production report for the past six years.

Hannah Jeffcock, placement year student from Harper Adams University, received the award from RABDF chair, Di Wastenage, at the event, with the family busy at home.

The winner of the 2020 NMR RABDF Gold Cup, the Torrance family, from Stapleford Abbotts, near Romford, Essex, finally were presented with this coveted trophy at Dairy-Tech. It had been delayed by Covid-19 lockdowns. It was presented to John Torrance – who farms in partnership with father Robert, mother Janet and wife Lucy – by Mrs Wastenage.

The Torrances' Curtismill pedigree Holstein herd comprises 670 cows and 430 followers and is part of their farming business run on 429 ha of Crown Estate land, just inside the M25 corridor. Ranking among the top UK herds for PLI, the family’s focus is on efficiency, and they aim to breed cows that will produce 70,000 litres of milk, during an average of five lactations.

Average annual yield (September, 2021) for this all-year-round calving housed herd – which is milked three times a day – was 13,700kg of milk sold, at 4.08% BF and 3.26% P, with a calving interval of 382 days.

Four further awards were made as part of the Gold Cup presentations at Dairy-Tech.

Jon McCosh, Kingsbeck, Coulter, Biggar, South Lanarkshire, was awarded the trophy for the Gold Cup qualifying Jersey herd with the highest combined fat and protein (CF and P) – the 185-cow herd recorded 816kg.

The NMR Silver Salver, awarded to the qualifying Holstein herd with the highest CF and P production, was presented to John Torrance, for a figures of 960.53kg; while Rob Smith, of A and T Smith, Dutton, Clitheroe, Lancashire, was presented with the CF and P cup for other breeds, for the 280-cow Montbeliarde cross Holstein Friesian herd with 719.7kg.

The Gold Cup competition was launched in 1920, making 2020 its 100th year.