Metcalfe Farms wins Gold Cup award
Philip Metcalfe receives his award from Princess Anne © Tim Scrivener Metcalfe Farms from Leyburn in North Yorkshire has won the coveted NMR RABDF 2018 Gold Cup.
Metcalfe Farm, North Yorkshire
- Milk sold to Yorkshire-based Paynes Dairies
- 1,300 pedigree Holsteins plus 850 youngstock
- 10,800kg of milk at 4% butterfat and 3.25% protein
- SCC of 124,000 cells/ml
- Calving interval of 403 days
Philip Metcalfe was presented with the award by HRH The Princess Royal at Dairy-Tech, Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire on 6 February.
The business is owned and run by Philip and his two brothers, Brian and David, and consists of a contracting enterprise, haulage business and 525ha dairy farm.
See also: Meet the six finalists of the 2018 Gold Cup award
Philip oversees the dairy, which has expanded to 1,300 pedigree Holsteins and 850 youngstock since the addition of a new parlour and further cow accommodation in 2016.
The herd is averaging 10,800kg of milk at 4% butterfat and 3.25% protein, with an average cell count of 124,000 cells/ml.
Gortree Farm, Drumhoe
- 180 pedigree cows plus 128 followers
- Autumn calving
- Averaging 10,074kg of milk at 3.93% butterfat and 3.22% protein
- Average cell count is 136,000 cells/ml
- Calving interval of 375 days
RABDF chairman and one of the competition’s judges, Mike King, said: “Philip Metcalfe and his team have a very high level of focus in all areas of their dairy business, which has enabled the farm to grow suitably from the results and profits generated, while achieving a very high level of health and welfare.”
Picking up the trophy, Philip said the win was “fantastic” and a testament to the hard work and dedication of the whole family and their staff.
The runner-up and recipient of the NMR Silver Salver were brothers Stephen and Mark Montgomery from Drumahoe, County Londonderry.
They have built a 180-cow pedigree Holstein, autumn-calving herd across 145ha from scratch in just 10 years.