Donegal Farmer Wins Aurivo Milk Quality Award
Donegal farmer Wesley Hastings has won the top award in the Aurivo milk quality awards.
Wesley and his father Roy milk 200 cows at Mullinaveigh, Ballindrait. Their Friesian/Jersey herd, which is milked all year round, had an average butterfat of 4.51% and an average milk protein of 3.65% in 2012.
The Hastings were presented with their award by Irish Farmers Journal editor Justin McCarthy in Westport this week (Tuesday 28 May).
Category Awards
David and Kathleen Boland, Horseleap, Co Westmeath, took the award for the highest standards of hygiene in manufacturing milk while the award for the highest standards of hygiene in liquid milk went to Gerry Murphy, Shrule, Co Mayo.
The award for milk with the lowest somatic cell count (SCC) went to TJ and Mary Nally, Claremorris, Co Mayo while father and son team Pat and Willie Sullivan, Belmullet, Co Mayo were presented with the award for milk with the most improved SCC in 2012.
Alan McCormick, Lacken, Ballina, Co Mayo took the award for the highest percentage milk solids among Aurivo suppliers. His herd averaged 4.55% butterfat and 3.69% protein in 2012.
The award for the best performing new entrant was won by Ger and Mel Brennan, Strokestown, Co Roscommon. Ger and his father Mel developed the dairy enterprise in 2011 and are now milking 59 cows. Ger was recently presented with the Teagasc/FBD student of the year award for 2012.
The award for the best performing Aurivo supplier in Northern Ireland was presented to father and son team William and Andrew McCollum who run a 250-cow herd outside Coleraine, Co Derry.
