THE Miller family – Mike and Shan, sons Paul and Steve and twin daughters Amy and Katie – entertained 1,157 visitors to their Greville Hall Farm, Hinton-onthe- Green, for the RABDF NMR Gold Cup Open Day.

The home of the Shanael herd of pedigree Holstein, the current holders of the most prestigious trophy in the dairy world, also featured 55 trade stands.

Following a series of presentations, visitors were able to tour the commercially managed 335 Shanael herd which averages 12,000 litres at 3.75 per cent butterfat and 3.15 per cent protein.

Steve Miller said; “We were really blown away by the number of people who turned up. We were really proud to be chosen as Gold Cup winners.

It was a really fantastic event and a great way to promote pedigree dairy cattle.”

He told visitors the family moved to Greville Hall in 1996 from Somerset with just 48 cows and 56 followers on 350 acres. Now they were milking nearly 350 cows on 900 acres, and growing 200 acres of maize and 180 acres of wheat alongside the grassland.

Paul Miller said pedigree was not all about fancy cows and showing. “This is a family farm which is efficiently run in order to fill the bulk tank as efficiently as possible.

Breeding cows is not a hobby, it’s a passion and a way of life. A well bred Holstein is the foundation of a profitable business.”

RABDF chief executive Nick Everington said; “The Millers are a great example of how a family working together with dedication, enthusiasm and tenacity can not only develop but also maintain a highly profitable and sustainable dairy farm.”

At the Golden Celebration sale conducted by Norton & Brooksbank. top price of 9.000gns was paid for the yearling heifer Shanael Golden ET, daughter to the herd’s top cow Shanael Bolton Golden ET. She was bought by another branch of the Miller family, Randolph and Brian Miller, who run the Moorshard herd at Bridgewater.

They also paid 6,000gns for Shanael Shamrock Evolution ET, a heifer with contract interest from Cogent, Genus and Eurogenes. Her full brother Shamrock Evolution ET was top price of the dozen bulls to be sold, making 3,200gns to D.J. and D.J. Heller, Truro, Cornwall.

Alan and Rosemary Shufflebotham, the previous tenants of Greville Hall Farm, retired from active farming several years ago but still retain a great interest in the Holstein breed. They paid 4,500gns for the very fancy Shanael Gold Chip Melody ET, a member of one of the herd’s best known families which produced a fomer Royal Show champion Shanael Gelpro Melody.

Averages: 14 cows, £3,375; 29 served and maiden heifers, £3,182.59; 12 bulls, £2,240; 55 head average, £3,045.95.