Meet the 2024 NMR RABDF Gold Cup finalists

Six herds breeding robust cows, developing their staff, and reducing their farm’s carbon footprint, are competing for the 2024 Gold Cup award.

Sponsored by the Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers (RABDF) and National Milk Records (NMR), judges include RABDF chairman Robert Craig and vice-chairman Tim Downes, NMR veterinary officer Karen Bond, and 2022 Gold Cup winner Alistair Logan.

See also: Best ways to use dairy key performance indicators

The winner will be announced at DairyTech, Stoneleigh, Warwickshire, on 5 February. Here, we look at the six finalists.

PJ & PE Ashley & Son

A progressive approach and attention to detail from Ruth and Stephen Ashley have helped this family business to develop.

Robotic milking for the past eight years is part of the family’s drive for a good work-life balance for themselves and their staff.

“We’ve completed some intensive building projects and have a young family, who we want to spend time with, so we need enough people on hand to avoid compromising herd performance,” says Stephen.

Improving soil biology by creating compost on-farm will reduce fertiliser use of 57kg/ha of nitrogen, and future plans include more investment in renewable energy, and genomic testing to breed a more efficient and longer-lasting cow.

“We aim to build a profit for future investment and create a strong business that offers opportunities for future generations,” he says.

Harper Adams University

Although the dairy herd at Harper Adams University is involved in research and teaching, Kate Robinson and her team of five are expected to manage the unit so that it performs commercially, with exceptional standards.

Excellent staff are a vital ingredient in helping to achieve this, she says.

Efforts are made to create a good working environment with priority given to staff development, such as completing training courses in artificial insemination and foot-trimming.

Herd genetics are moving more towards health and longevity to increase lifespan and reduce replacement rate.

With a target to achieve net zero across the farm by 2030, and better efficiency, the aim is to improve grassland management through breeding a more grazing-type cow.

“But we can only achieve this with good staff, so it’s important conditions are also right for our team,” says Kate.

E A Lovatt & Son

Mark Lovatt, together with his father, Edwin, and wife, Saffron, is future-proofing the business through making full use of home-grown feed and high-quality forage.

“Cows like routine and consistency, and this is particularly important for feeding, so we clamp similar quality grass silages together, across multiple cuts, to improve diet consistency,” he says.

In 2023, first and second cuts averaged 16% protein and 12.1 MJ/kg dry matter (DM) of metabolisable energy and 76% digestibility value.

Daily DM intakes are at least 27kg a cow.

A switch to automated milking has created better work routines for himself and his four staff, with less stress on cows.

“The access to detailed data was an attraction, too. It allows early and more timely decisions to be made,” he adds.

GE Oakley & Sons

With more than 80% of cows calving between August and the end of October, this herd is focusing on efficiency.

This includes more milk from home-grown forage and lowering concentrate crude protein to 16-18% without losing milk yield or quality. It will also help their carbon footprint, say Ben and John Oakley.

Another priority is to reduce electricity usage via heat recovery systems.

Taking on a neighbouring block of land – plus building a new shed and slurry store – will allow them to increase cow numbers to 240 and rear all youngstock on site.

Most of this work will be done in-house to control costs. “We’ve taken on a relief milker for six milkings a week.

This frees up time to do work outside the parlour, and a bigger herd will future-proof the business,” says Ben.

Newley Farm

Fourth-generation dairy farmer Will Venn is developing a sustainable dairy business, in partnership with his wife, Kate, and father, Tim.

Significant improvements since 2016 include a purpose-built shed for 320 cows, slurry tower, collecting yard and handling facility, parlour, and bulk tank.

They also have 50kW of solar panels on a barn roof and planning permission for a digester: “I hope we can be self-sufficient for electricity within five years,” says Will.

Next on the list are improvements to calf housing to remove pressure at busy times, and better ventilation in the weaned calf facility.

“I also plan to increase forage storage capacity and improve forage quality,” he adds.

“Our staff are fundamental to the success and enjoyment of the business. I want to bolster their enthusiasm and improve everyone’s hours and time off.”

Tredinnick Farms

Block calving in January and June, Joe, Andrew and Matthew Rowe’s herd relies heavily on home-grown forage, with grazing from late March to October for those cows milked in the herringbone parlour.

To enhance soil health and productivity, slurry bugs are used to improve nitrogen availability in the farm’s slurry.

Other environmental options to reduce the farm’s carbon footprint include more herbal leys, and less ploughing for cropping and reseeding.

The farm employs three full-time staff, plus relief milkers. Opportunities to undergo further training and be involved in decision making are encouraged.

“A work-life balance is important to us, so we are improving areas of the business that affect us all and ensuring a good working environment,” says Matthew.

The purchase of a 78ha (193-acre) neighbouring farm means expansion is on the cards with a target of 5m litres of milk a year, says Andrew.