The Gold Cup award for 2018 was won by Philip Metcalfe and his team from Metcalfe Farms, Leyburn, North Yorkshire.
Announced at this year’s Dairy-Tech event, it was presented to Mr Metcalfe by HRH The Princess Royal.
Metcalfe Farms is owned and run by brothers David, Brian and Philip Metcalfe, at which Philip manages the 1,300-head pedigree Holstein herd together with 850 youngstock.
A new parlour and additional cow accommodation was added to the dairy enterprise in 2016, which is run over 525 hectares (1,297 acres) of the 1,300ha (3,212 acres) business.
The herd is currently averaging 10,800kg at 4 per cent fat and 3.25 per cent protein, with a cell count of 124,000 cells/ml and the all-year-round calving herd has a calving interval of 403 days. Milk is sold to Yorkshire based Paynes Dairies.
Improvements in overall herd performance were attributed to a focus on cow health and welfare protocols, with dedicated and trained staff to cover all aspects of herd management from milking routines, cow nutrition and calf rearing to dry cow care.