Separated by only 12 miles, AFMP members, the Fletchers and the Wainwrights, both picked up awards after being recognised as the cream of the crop for achieving exceptional milk quality in the Arla Foods Milk Partnership (AFMP) annual milk quality awards for 2007.

Jonathan and Caroline Fletcher run Dam Dale Farm with their sons Gareth and Haydn milking 90 cows. The farm has been passed through many generations and is now a mixed farm of dairy cattle and sheep set over 140 acres.

Gareth joined the family farming business straight from school and his younger brother, Haydn, has followed in his footsteps. Both brothers now work together on the farm ensuring that it meets their high expectations.

The Wainwrights, who finished third overall, farm at Dowlow Farm, have farmed in Derbyshire for over six years. Husband and wife, Michael and Caroline, have a milking herd of 60 pedigree Holsteins averaging 10,500 litres per annum.

The couple milk the herd themselves rearing their own replacement herd to ensure that they maintain top quality cattle at their farm. The Wainwrights have also enjoyed success in the past, winning the 2005 Best Small Herd in Derbyshire award by the Derbyshire Holstein Club in addition to having the lowest herd cell count for the last two years, awarded by National Milk Records.

First place winner, the Fletchers, puts the farm's quality success down to attention to detail and being methological in everything they do. They rear all the cattle themselves safe in the knowledge that they are producing top quality cows with strong udder health and conformation.

The Fletchers are also believed to have one of the top 20 highest yielding herds in the country at 11,000 litres per cow, which can be put down to the overall breeding, feeding and general management.
They aim to keep milk quality at the top of their agenda as they begin an expansion programme to increase the size of their herd in the future.

"It's something we are all looking forward to," said Gareth.

"As a family business we need to ensure that the business is returning a sustainable profit for the whole family and investing in the business to achieve efficiency gains is one route to achieving this."

The expansion programme at Dam Dale Farm also includes new buildings, updating the current milking parlour to enable effective management of the increased herd.

According to Caroline, the Wainwrights' mantra for success is giving cows priority ensuring that the herd is looked after in the best possible way.

"Our business is a self contained unit and we work hard as a family to maintain high standards on farm.

"We enjoy what we do and are committed to developing our farm and our herd to create a sustainable future for our family," said Caroline.