Meldrum Farm takes dairy award

The hotly contested Scottish Dairy Farm of the Year award, presented at Agriscot, went to Meldrum Farm, Blairdrummond, where the Hamilton family milk 825 Holsteins, averaging just under 12,000 litres per head per year, with a first calving age of 23.5 months and a calving index of 379 days.

David Hamilton praised his excellent farm team and added: “We had incredibly strong opposition and so a win amongst such good company really helps us to continue striving to improve what we do and keep our focus on the future.”

This is the first year there has been an award for Scottish Arable Farm of the Year, which was won by Peter Chapman, South Redbog, Aberdeenshire.

The farm of 423 hectares grows winter and spring cereals and oilseed rape, but Peter has de-risked the business by investing in four 800kw wind turbines and operates the farm, which includes 70 suckler cows, with no full-time staff.

Optimising grass growth and operating an efficient low-cost cattle system resulted in Castle Sinniness near Glenluce taking the Scottish Beef Farm of the Year for the Fleming family.

Nuffield scholar Robert Fleming farms 240 hectares and, apart from a herd of 220 Aberdeen-Angus and Angus cross suckler cows and followers, the surplus grass production supports a further 250 to 600 finishing cattle on grazing contracts.

The Scottish Sheep Farm of the Year award went to Charley and Andrea Walker, Barnside, Abbey St Bathans, where they run a flock of 800 low-input, productive sheep which leave a healthy margin and a good quality of life.

Key factors in the success of the 253-hectare LFA farm have been the development of production systems and genetics that vastly improved efficiency.

David Hamilton of Wm Hamilton & Son, Meldrum, with members of his family and dairy team.