Wayland Farms, winner of Outdoor Pig Producer of the Year Award in 2019, has gone a step further this year to be crowned Overall Pig Producer of the Year at the 2020 National Pig Awards.
The Norfolk-based company, which operates a high health status herd of 20,000 outdoor breeding sows, was again announced as the Outdoor Producer of the Year at the awards ceremony, which, hosted by TV presenter Mark Durden-Smith, was broadcast online on Monday afternoon.
Wayland was adjudged to be the Overall winner after going head-to-head with the Indoor Pig Producer of the Year, Northamptonshire-based Bridge House Farm.
The company operates over 80 sites, with all progeny finished on straw on its own farms and contracted partner farms. It supplies high quality pork into a dedicated processing and packing site owned by Cranswick.
It adopts a holistic approach with excellent production figures across its units and a strong focus on pig health, minimal antibiotic use, animal welfare, environmental enhancement, energy efficiency, reducing wastage and staff training and development.
In the last 12 months, it has invested £2.6m to improve production and sustainability and the judges were impressed with a series of innovative projects the company has initiated, including full use of a carbon foot-printing tool and partnering with another company on a rapid result pen-side test for PRRS.
Indoor winner
The indoor winner, Bridge House Farm, has also had a very impressive year. It is a nucleus unit that has thrived since teaming with Canadian genetics company Genesus in 2017 and is producing superb results using Large Whites and Duroc stock.
It won the 2019 Innovation of the Year Award for its use of UHF electronic identification (EID) to deliver accurate and up-to-date data on weight and other variables and the judges agreed that there’s a lot the industry could learn from the company’s intelligent use of data recording.
Global demand for its stock is growing, including its first consignment to China this year.
All the winners
Here is the full list of 2020 winners:
OVERALL AND OUTDOOR PIG PRODUCER OF THE YEAR – Wayland Farms
INDOOR PIG PRODUCER OF THE YEAR – Bridge House Farm
FINISHER OF THE YEAR – Paul Howland, MP & PM Howland
HERD PRODUCTIVITY AWARD – R & C Mellor
INNOVATION OF THE YEAR – White Syke Farm (freedom farrowing designs)
MARKETING INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR – Cwm Farm Charcuterie Products
NPA ALLIED MEMBER OF THE YEAR – Yorkshire Farmers Livestock Marketing
PEDIGREE BREEDER OF THE YEAR – Ron Fieldhouse, R.W Fieldhouse
SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT OF THE YEAR – Lee Thompson, Wayland Farms (for ‘Flat White Chat’ podcasts)
STOCKMAN OF THE YEAR – Dawid Wawrowski, Karro Food Group
TRAINEE OF THE YEAR – Susanne Mustard, Karro Food Group
UNIT MANAGER OF THE YEAR – Iwona Rosa, Norfolk Free Range
YOUNG FARM VET OF THE YEAR – Max Wood, Larkmead Veterinary Group
YOUNG PIG FARMER OF THE YEAR – Josh Brewster, North Farm Livestock
- You can read more about the winners on the National Pig Awards website HERE
- And there will be a full coverage of each award in the December issue of Pig World.
- If you would like to watch the awards on demand, please email Elle at: elle@lewisbusinessmedia.co.uk
Pig World publisher Simon Lewis said: “Congratulations to all the deserved winners! Once again, these awards have highlighted the fantastic work being done by individuals and businesses across the pig sector. The winners and, indeed, all those shortlisted, are setting a great example for others to follow.”
This year saw a record number of entries submitted. Head judge Stewart Houston said the volume and quality of entries highlighted the determination of the industry ‘to get on with the job and keep pushing the boundaries’, even during this most difficult of years.
“Congratulations to all the winners, who each managed to demonstrate something different and special about their businesses,” he said.