FOR the second consecutive year, the Harvey family's Holstein herd from Beeswing in Dumfries leads National Milk Record's (NMR) Annual Production Report, having moved up from third place in 2015.

The report which was based on the year ending September 2016, and based on NMR's top 1% of herds ranked on weight of fat and protein, reveals the herd now boasts an average of 946kg of fat and protein and a milk yield of 13,079kg on three times daily milking regime. This was based on 325 qualifying cow lactations.

Heifers from The Drum at Beeswing produced 11,905kg with 847kg of fat and protein, again milked three times daily, with an overall calving index for cows and heifers of 397 days

In second place, for the third year in succession, is John Shropshire’s 53-cow herd, from Market Drayton in Shropshire, with 899kg of fat and protein and 13,545kg of milk through robotic milking.

Cornwall-based GG and JM Jenkin and Son, comes in third with a fat and protein yield of 895kg and milk figures of 12,867kg on twice a day milking.

The only other Scottish name to feature in the national Holstein rankings is Robert Forsyth's Baltier herd from Whithorn which although stands second in the Scottish league, comes in 46th with 343 Holstein cows producing 12,594kg on a three times daily milking policy with a combine fat and protein of 802kg.

Third placed herd in Scotland is Fergus McDowall's unit from Rerrick, Dundrennan, with 739kg fat and protein and a milk yield of 10,481kg on third times daily, with T and AW Wadsworth, Big Balcraig, Port William, in fourth on 10,248kg, at 713kg. Fifth is C Innes and Sons, Feddan Farm, Brodie, with 9822kg three times daily and 710 fat and protein.

In the Shorthorn listings, JS Knowles from Yorkshire takes top place with 647kg of fat and protein and 8824kg of milk, while JD and BF Broadley and Sons, Derbyshire, moves up from fourth in the Ayrshire breed to take the lead spot with 609kg of fat and protein and 8375kg of milk.

While the Wadman’s Somerset-based herd remains the top Jersey herd, with 7353kg of milk and 805kg fat and protein, Robert Graham and Son's herd from Bridge of Allan, is now ranked 9th nationally, but first in Scotland with average milk yields of 6818kg with 660kg fat and protein.

Nerewater Farm’s herd from Cumbria is a newcomer at the top of the British Friesian rankings with 670kg of fat and protein and 8859 kg of milk.

NMR’s latest report also shows that all the main dairy breeds, with more than 1% of total recorded lactations, have reduced their average somatic cell counts (SCC) while reporting small increases in milk yield and milk constituents.

The Holstein breed, which represents 72.8% of total NMR recordings, shows a reduction of 8000cells/ml in SCC to 177,000cells/ml against an increase of 9kg in fat and protein and 82kg in milk to record highs of 639kg and 8953kg respectively. Calving interval dropped by four days to 410 days.

Average SCC in the Ayrshire breed has seen a drop of 17,000cells/ml to 158,000cells/ml with the Jersey breed reducing its average to 180,000cells/ml and the British Friesian to 162,000cells/ml.