This is the first year of the CellCheck Milking for Quality Awards. The award is given to the 500 milk suppliers nationally with the lowest, weighted annual average SCC for 2013, based on SCC data collected by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and analysed by ICBF. Any suppliers with at least 9 months SCC results are considered eligible. Drinagh is well represented and especially proud that 43 of our milk suppliers have qualified for the CellCheck Milking for Quality award. The SCC range of the winners is 25-105,000 cells/ml, which is an excellent achievement. We are sure that in time this will become a prestigious and much sought-after annual award. Each winner will receive a waterproof plaque (see picture) that is designed to be mounted on the wall of their dairy or milking parlour.
The 43 Drinagh award winners are listed below in alphabetical order:
| Adrian O’Driscoll | Maultrahane, Leap |
| Conor Minihane | Drishanemore, Skibbereen |
| Daniel J & William O’Donovan | Minanes, Drinagh |
| Denis G. O’Brien | Castledonovan, Drimoleague |
| Denis & Shelia Cronin | Ballyhadown, Drimoleague |
| Donal O’Mahony | Letterlickey, Bantry |
| Donie & Mary O’Donovan | Cullineagh East, Skibbereen |
| Finbarr O’Sullivan | Rooska, Bantry |
| Francis Coughlan | Scart, Bantry |
| Francis Keating | Droumnacara, Church Cross |
| George Deane | Bunalun, Skibbereen |
| James Kearney | Acres, Dunmanway |
| James Tobin | Lake View, Corran, Leap |
| James Young | Derryclough, Drinagh |
| Jason Wolfe | Stouke, Ballydehob |
| Jerry & Mary O’Neill | Rerahanagh, Drimoleague |
| Jeremiah G & Noreen Coakley | The Paddock, Drinagh |
| John Hunt | Lissacha North, Schull |
| John O’Regan | Kielbronogue, Schull |
| John & Sandra Maher | Keelnaclasha, Skibbereen |
| Julie McSweeney | Drimoleague |
| Kenneth McCarthy | Ballygurteen, Clonakilty |
| Kevin & Siobhan O’Driscoll | Kilmore, Drimoleague |
| Kieran O’Sullivan | Dunmanus, Goleen |
| Liam O’Connell | Currabeg, Skibbereen |
| Liam O’Donovan | Clohane, Skibbereen |
| Martin & Catherine Murnane | Letterlickey, Bantry |
| Michael Lynch | Lissane, Drimoleage |
| Michael Og Crowley | Bauravilla, Skibbereen |
| Michael Russell | Knockane, Drimoleague |
| Neil Collins | Dromusta, Drimoleague |
| Padraig Bohane | Kilderry, Skibbereen |
| Pat Keane | Caherdaniel, Bantry |
| Patrick Collins | Deelish, Drimoleague |
| Patrick Collins | Knockataggart, Skibbereen |
| Richard Jennings | Keelinga, Leap |
| Richard O’Connell | Dunmanus, Toormore |
| Rosaline Shannon | Brahalaish, Durus, Bantry |
| Samuel & Hilda Attridge | Gearhameen, Durrus |
| Sean Dineen | Bawnbue, Drimoleague |
| Sean O’Leary | Gortinacarriga, Goleen |
| Timothy O’Mahony | Dreenane, Schull |
| William Wolfe | Knockawaddra, Lisbealad |
The CellCheck Milking For Quality Awards is an initiative to acknowledge and recognise the excellence of Irish farmers who are currently achieving very high standards of udder health on farm, and to provide a goal for others to aim for in the future. It also gives positive feedback to the milk processors who are providing somatic cell count (SCC) data to the Department of Agriculture, under a protocol developed by AHI, ICBF and the Department.
