The North of Scotland Grassland Society (Norgrass) has unveiled the names of the top silage makers in the north and north-east.
The society’s annual silage competition attracted entries from the Black Isle to Kincardineshire.
A shortlist of 10, based on an initial analysis of the samples for dry matter, ME, crude protein and intake factor, was drawn up and each entrant was visited by the competition judge.
The judge was Andrew Farquharson, of Finzean Estate, Banchory, who won the pit section the year before.
He visited all 10 farms over a two-day period last month to assess pit management based on lack of waste across the shoulders, side and top of the pit. Mr Farquharson also checked face uniformity, effluent, manure and slurry management, grass and livestock performance. He also assessed bale storage and utilisation.
Mr Farquharson said: “Although the summer of 2016 was very wet the entries which made the short leet produced exceptionally high dry matter silages.
“I was particularly impressed with the samples from all the entrants in both the pit and bale section, all of which scored extremely high marks on analysis and were also closely matched in other aspects of the on-farm inspection, making it a difficult competition to judge.”
He awarded the BP Norgrass Trophy for the overall winner of the pit section to Roddy and Angela Catto, of Hillhead of Muirton, Whitecairns, Aberdeen. The couple, who milk 115 cows with all milk destined for Tesco via Muller, first entered the competition last year and finished runners-up.
Their winning silage scored 29 out of 35 for the analysis and 63 out of 65 for the on-farm inspection.
The Cattos will now go forward to represent Norgrass in the Scottish Silage Competition, after achieving the highest scores in both the pit and bale sections of the contest.
Second place went to Messrs Thomson of Middelton of Potterton, Aberdeen, and third place went to Donald Barrie who manages Glensaugh Farm at Fettercairn, Laurencekirk.
The Harbro Trophy for the best new entrant in the pit section was awarded to Roger Polson, of Knock Farm, Rothiemay, Huntly.
Meanwhile, the winner of the Grays of Fetterangus Trophy in the bale competition was Kevin Adams, of Sillerton Farm, Auchterless, Turriff.
Mr Adams, who was competing in the contest for the first time, was also the recipient of the George McCaig Ryeside Cup for the best new entrant in the bale section. Another of Mr Adams’s entries was placed second, and third place went to P. and J. Don, Freefield, Insch.