Treveale Farm hosts major dairy open day after historic win
Cornwall’s first-ever RABDF NMR Gold Cup winner has hosted nearly 1,000 dairy farmers and industry professionals for one of the UK’s biggest on-farm dairy events.
The Gold Cup Open Day took place at Treveale Farm, near Ladock, on 30 June, after the business became the first Cornish farm to win the prestigious award since the competition began in 1920.
Hosted by T N Morrow and Partners, the event showcased how long-term investment, herd expansion and a focus on efficiency have helped shape one of the UK’s leading dairy businesses.
RABDF chair Robert Craig said Treveale Farm demonstrated the importance of investing for the future, despite the current challenges facing the dairy sector.
He said: “The Morrow family has taken a long-term view of the industry, making significant investments for the next generation, including a new dairy unit in 2018 and a youngstock unit in 2023 as well as doubling their pedigree Holstein Maymor herd over the past 14 years to 471 cows.”
Mr Craig said confidence to invest would be vital if the industry was to remain fit for the future.
He added: “If we want an industry that is fit for the future, farmers need the confidence to invest. While the current market remains difficult, businesses with strong management and a clear long-term strategy are best placed to succeed.”
The open day also heard from dairy market analyst Chris Walkland, who warned that global milk supplies were continuing to weigh on prices.
He said UK production had fallen, but milk output remained strong across Europe, the United States and New Zealand, making significant price improvements unlikely in the short term.
Mr Walkland said some improvement could come later in the year, but warned that current milk prices were not sustainable.
He said: “At the moment I can’t see any major change to milk prices this year. What is clear, though, is we can’t have milk prices where they are for the long term. If they stay low, volumes will fall, and then in a few months’ time we’ll be on the upside of the rollercoaster.”
Despite the difficult outlook, Mr Walkland said he remained optimistic about the dairy sector’s future, describing farmers as “hugely resilient” and “very good at what you do”.
The event also featured more than 50 trade stands and a range of technical discussions covering youngstock, slurry management and nutrition.
RABDF said the open day highlighted the strength of Treveale Farm’s approach and the importance of long-term investment, strong technical management and resilience as dairy farmers continue to face pressure from volatile milk markets.
