Livestock Event 2016: Gold Cup winner announced
Gold Cup winner Simon Bugler (third from left) collects his trophy © Tim Scrivener Dorset dairy farmer Simon Bugler from Bridport has won the NMR/Gold Cup 2016 award.
It was the first time Mr Bugler, who farms in partnership with his parents Roland and Heather, entered his pedigree 570-cow, Holstein Bettiscombe herd in the competition.
The NMR/RABDF Gold Cup is open to all dairy herds with official milk records across the UK.
Farmers entering must have at least 100 cows in the herd, an annual average cell count of 200,000/ml or less and a profit index number (PIN) that is breed specific.
See also: Meet the 2016 Gold Cup finalists
The Bettiscombe herd is yielding 11,600kg of milk at 3.74% fat and 3.15% protein on three-times-a-day milking.
Four years ago Mr Bugler switched to housing the herd year round and has been rewarded with huge improvements in fertility and health.
Mastitis rates sit at 21 cases a 100 cows and cell counts have fallen to 90,000 cells/ml, with a bactoscan of six.
Antibiotic use has also been slashed and 95% of the cows receive teat sealant only at drying off.
“I believe fertility drives yield and we could manage fertility better by moving indoors and controlling the diet by keeping it consistent throughout the year and that’s enabled us to achieve the results we have.”
The herd’s calving index has fallen from 380 days to 372 days most recently and pregnancy rates are hitting 21%.
Picking up the award on the first day of the Livestock Event on Wednesday (6 July), Mr Bugler said he was shocked to have won, adding: “It is a really difficult competition and I think the judges had a difficult job. I’m very privileged to have won.”
Runner-up for the second consecutive year was Brian Yates, from East Logan Holsteins, Castle Douglas, Dumfries and Galloway. Together with his wife Sheila and children Michael and Anna, they run the 280-cow pedigree Logan herd.