TWENTY farms have been shortlisted for this year’s AgriScot Scottish Dairy Farm of the Year award – all selected by management team member at Trailflat, Donald Millar.

The list was created following analysis of performance data from every milk recorded dairy farm in Scotland. During this process, he was only given access to the figures, not names and addresses.

Discussing the selection process, Mr Millar commented on what he was looking for: “This was a truly difficult task. There are many factors that I had to consider and it is certainly not all about yield.

“Basically, the top 20 list consists of dairy farms at the top of their game in terms of the factors which influence overall business performance. I paid particular attention to age at first calving, calving index, herd longevity and somatic cell count.”

Average herd size in the top 20 farms is 460 cows, reflecting the increasing size of all dairy herds. Other statistics also noted that the average age at first calving is 25.2 months, calving index is 392 days, and an average milk yield is 10,666 litres at 3.88% BF and 3.22% P.

The top 20:

  • Alderston Farming, Alderston Mains, Haddington, East Lothian, with a herd of 313 Jerseys
  • J and W Baillie, Hillhead of Covington, Biggar, Lanarkshire, with a herd of 277 Holsteins
  • R and L Barron, Darrahill, Udny, Aberdeenshire, with 291 Holsteins
  • A Colquhoun, Dendoldrum, Inverbervie, Kincardineshire, with a herd of 695 Holsteins
  • Robert Wallace,    Craigley Farm, Gelston, Kirkcudbright, with a herd of 594 Holsteins
  • Robert D Fleming Hillhead, Kirkpatrick Fleming, Dumfries, with 276 Holsteins
  • Wm Hamilton and Son, Meldrum, Blairdrummond, Stirling, with 789 Holsteins;
  • Messrs Harvey, Drum Farm, Beeswing, Dumfries, with 322 Holsteins
  • KSH Farmers, Kennetsideheads,    Eccles, Berwick, with 1096 Holsteins
  • Lakehead Farming, Closeburn, Dumfries, with 523 Holsteins
  • I Marr Cultercullen, Udny, Aberdeenshire, with 240 Holsteins
  • Fergus McDowall, Rerrick, Dundrennan,    Kirkcudbright, with 1000 Holsteins
  • R and J McDonald, Kelloe Mains, Duns, Berwick, with 782 Holsteins
  • Mrs JC McLean, Mains of Culsh, New Deer, Aberdeenshire, with 187 Holsteins
  • T and C Owen, Potstown, Lockerbie, Dumfries, with a herd of 229 Jerseys and Holsteins
  • Slagnaw Farming Co, Castle Douglas, with 526 Holsteins
  • JB Sloan, Panlands, Johnstone Bridge, Dumfries, with 213 Holsteins
  • University of Edinburgh, Langhill, Roslin, Midlothian, with a herd of 247 Holsteins and Normandes
  • T and A Wadsworth, Big Balcraig, Whauphill, Newton Stewart, with 322 Holsteins
  • Brian Yates, East Logan, Castle Douglas, with a herd of 284 Holsteins and Jerseys.

The winner from this group will be announced at AgriScot, at Ingliston, on Wednesday, November 15, 2017.