The Bugler children are looking forward to the RABDF/NMR Gold Cup Open Day

Identifying marginal gains and shaping the future will be the main themes of the day when 2016 RABDF/NMR Gold Cup winners Roland and Simon Bugler open the gates at Pilsdon Dairy Farm on Wednesday 28 June.

The father/son partnership will be revealing the story behind the successes that won them the Gold Cup accolade last year, especially looking at their detailed approach to cost management and the way they have restructured the business to allow investment and a viable succession plan that works for the wider family.

Prof David Leaver, former RABDF president (left) and Philip Kirkham, NMR director (right) presenting Roland (second from left) and Simon Bugler (second from right) with the 2016 RABDF/NMR Gold Cup

As well as covering these areas in various talks and a farm walk, sessions on optimising milking management, succession and long term business planning will be delivered by The Dairy Group and Evolution ABS, with further slots being filled by World Wide Sires and Kite Consulting. These will cover the use of multi-cut grass silage systems and the innovative processes and thinking required for future breeding.

Foot trimming demonstrations will be carried out by Steve Paul throughout the day and visitors will also have the opportunity to see the new calf unit that has been developed, utilising old buildings, to focus management of calves at Waterhouse Farm. Here calves are reared in hutches then housed in small groups on straw yards before being moved to cubicles at seven to eight months of age.

Host farmer Simon Bugler says he’s delighted to be able to showcase the farm, dairy herd and calf unit at the open day, and hopes to learn as much off visitors as they learn from the visit.

He says: “We hope the event will attract people from far and wide who are looking to find out more about some key topics currently relevant within the industry.

“We have a great programme lined up, with some very interesting speakers, focusing on areas that have been vital to our success. I hope visitors will be able to take home some key points and apply them to their own businesses – we look forward to the discussion giving us ideas too!

“We’re also proud to preview 80 of our Bettiscombe milking cows and heifers to visitors, all of which are being auctioned at Sedgemoor Sale Centre next month.”

Victoria Chomiak, RABDF communications and farm event manager, says the amount of trade support for the event has been overwhelming.

She says: “It’s unprecedented to have over 50 trade stands in attendance; the support for the Gold Cup Open Day just seems to grow year on year. KW Alternative Feeds are principal sponsor for the day and Kite Consulting will be providing free bacon rolls on arrival for all pre-registered visitors.”

Further information on the day, including the full programme of events are available at www.rabdf.co.uk/gold-cup Pre-registration is essential and can be done online using the previous link. If you have any queries please call the office on 02476 639317