Samuel Kennedy was the overall winner of Dale Farm’s 2023 milk quality improvement awards, with the annual presentation held at the Balmoral Show.
This year’s competition primarily focused on bactocount and somatic cell count (SCC) with suppliers competing across three categories.
Farming outside Doagh, Co Antrim, Kennedy initially won the under 1m litres category, before being crowned the overall winner as a result of having the lowest combined bactoscan and SCC count across all finalists.
The herd had a rolling weighted bactocount of nine and 67 SCC. Bactocount hit the top banding in 10 out of the last 12 months, while SCC was in the top band in 11 of the 12 months.
Runner-up in the under 1m litre category was Joe Close, Rasharkin.
For farmers producing more than 1m litres annually, John and Sandra Beckett, Donaghcloney were placed first with Matthew and James Alcorn runner-up.
The final category consisted of new entrants and was won by Russell McCourt, Derrylin with Roy Sproule, Victoria Bridge in second.