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Herefordshire farmers Chris and Rich Norman were announced as the winners of the 2017 Gold Cup at the Dairy-Tech event in Stoneleigh Park near Coventry on Wednesday.
Since the trophy was commissioned in 1920, the Gold Cup award has been won by farmers who breed high-yielding pedigree Holstein Friesian cows.
The Norman brothers are milking 600 Friesian Jersey crossbred in a block autumn-calving herd on free-draining soils near the Wye Valley in Herefordshire. Average milk yields are 5,536kg at 4.99% fat and 3.70% protein.
Runner-up
The Tomlinson family from Lancashire was runner-up in the competition for the third time. The family milks 260 Holstein cows with milk yields averaging 11,386kg at 4.27% fat and 3.13% protein.
Nominations for the Gold Cup were put forward by milk-recording agencies alongside, for the first time, grazing discussion group coordinators. The McMurran family from Banbridge in Co Down was also a finalist.
For a herd producing less than 6,000kg of milk per year, to win the award is a major shock to UK dairy farming.
The Dairy-Tech event was organised by the Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers (RABDF) and saw over 100 exhibitors and about 5,000 farmers attend.
Notable Irish exhibitors were Keenan/Alltech, Dovea, Pearson, Dairymaster and Herdwatch.
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