Dendoldrum is Top Dairy Farm in Scotland
Kincardineshire dairy farmer and CIS customer A Colquhoun Ltd, Dendoldrum, Inverbervie has become the first milk producer to win the Scottish Dairy Farmer of the Year title for the second time, having been awarded the title in 2008.
The presentation of this prestigious title was made at AgriScot and this year’s assessor was Hugh McClymont of SRUC’s Crichton Royal Farm in Dumfries, who described the winner’s calf rearing, young stock and overall herd management as outstanding.
Four finalists are selected anonymously from a top 100 for inspection by the assessor, with the emphasis placed on records for calving age, calving index, yield and cell counts amongst others in the selection process. Gregor milks over 400 pedigree Holsteins under the Bervie prefix at Inverbervie near Montrose and the herd’s rolling 12 month average for 431 cows stands at 11,653 litres at 3.64% butterfat and 3.10% protein with a Calving Index of 390.
Gregor’s parents are also heavily involved in the business, with father Blair still milking and mother in charge of the calf rearing. In addition to running a very successful dairy herd, Gregor is a nutritional specialist for Harbro and makes use of his customers’ CIS milk records to amend rations on a monthly basis to ensure the herds are full of healthy’ happy and highly productive cows.
In congratulating the Colquhouns and fellow CIS users and finalists the Owens of Potstown near Lockerbie, CIS Executive Director Sue Cope said, “These two finalists are great examples of what can be achieved by paying attention and acting upon the health, nutritional and production results available 48 hours after milk recording every month and are so vital to dairy farming success’’.
The Cattle Information Service (CIS) is farmer-owned and farmer-controlled. Involving all the leading cattle organisations, its objective is to improve standards of service, accuracy and value throughout all dairy herd management information practices.
Find out more at www.thecis.co.uk
