This year's NMR/RABDF Gold Cup will go to one of six dairy herds who have completed several rounds of the competition and reached the final line up. It's a ‘national' battle with two herds from Somerset, two from Lancashire, a Scottish herd and a Northern Irish herd.
RABDF's Lyndon Edwards, NMR Chairman Philip Kirkham and 2011 Gold Cup winner Tom King will evaluate each business's herd performance, management system and costings. Equally importantly, they will consider their future plans and developments.
"We are interested in the whole dairy business," says Lyndon Edwards. "It's not a historic competition. Commitment to the dairy industry and how each one is maximising their own resources and skills are important aspects of the Gold Cup competition, along with improvements in herd efficiency, staff developments and environmental considerations."
This year's Gold Cup finalists are:
• Neil Baker from Haselbury Plucknett, Somerset.
• Michael Eavis, Glastonbury Somerset.
• Darren and Stuart McMurran from Banbridge, Co Down.
• John and Stuart Harvey, Beeswing, Dumfries.
• David and James Tomlinson, Preston Lancs.
• Mark Verity, Clitheroe, Lancs.
The winner of the 2014 NMR RABDF Gold Cup and the runner-up, who receives the NMR Silver Salver, will be announced at 4pm on the NMR stand at the Livestock Event, NEC Birmingham on 2 July.