After a late night of sorting line-ups at the Celtic Dairy Showcase across both Holsteins and the newly added coloured classes, judge Mark Knutsord, Cheshire, finished his evening by emphasising the quality of cattle forward.
Senior cow champion Woodmarsh Doorman Zandra 3
Taking the senior Holstein champion along with many other placings was Woodmarsh Doorman Zandra 3, from Hefyn Wilson’s Tregibby herd, Cardigan.
This February 2014-born animal is two months fresh and in its first lactation yielded just over 10,000kg. Now in its second lactation, it is giving at 5.35 per cent butterfat and 3.71 per cent protein.
By Val-Bission Doorman and out of Woodmarsh Fever Zandra, it was bred by the Gould family, Shrewsbury, and purchased in a private sale. The same animal was heifer champion at the showcase last year and will next be out at the Royal Welsh Show.
Mr Knutsford said: “My first and second choice were very close. But when you get behind the champion, you can see it has so much more spring of rib and length of body and makes better use of its feet and legs.”
Reserve was second-calver Noremead Baxter Kansas, from Elwyn, Cheryl and Anwen Thomas, Pontantwn, which was bought in a private sale as a fresh heifer from Robert Cooper’s now dispersed herd. It also took the inter-breed heifer championship at the South West Dairy Show in 2015, Holstein heifer ‘champion of champions’ at Llandyfaelog and reserve inter-breed heifer at All Breeds All Britain in 2015.
In its first lactation it gave 10,384kg and is now giving 46kg per day.
Junior Holstein championship again went to the Wilsons’ herd with Tregibby Maude Kitty, classified EX95. By Woodmarsh Euro, it is out of Willsbro Goldwyn Kitty and is bred from seven generations of EX and VG dams. It took red rosettes at the 2016 Welsh Dairy Show and the South Wales calf show and was second in the maiden heifer class at the 2015 Royal Welsh Show.
On the day of the show, this heifer was due to calve in 10 days to sexed semen and stood above its herdmate and reserve Tregibby Fitz Beauty, a Toc-Farm Fitz daughter on its first time out.
The intermediate championship went to the Carmarthen-based Iwan Rhys Morgan’s Erie Brady Irene. By Butz-Butler Atwood Brady, it is out of eight generations of EX cows, with its dam being the home-bred Erie Deluxe Irene. Freshly calved, it is now giving 38kg daily.
Mr Morgan also has a half share in the red and white champion, the 2013-born DKR Superf, in partnership with Starlet Holsteins, Newport, which was bought from its French breeder at 12 months of age.
In the coloured section Jerseys reigned, with the Wilson family taking the spotlight once again. The championship went to their second-calver Tregibby Panama Tequila. By Tower Vue Prime Tequila and out of home-bred Tregibby Comerica Panama, it was 192 days calved on show day. Reserve went to the same home, with the milking heifer Bluegrass Tequila Blondette.
Champion coloured breed Tregibby Panama Tequila.
Red and white champion DKR Superf.
RESULTS
Senior Holstein (Judge, Mark Knutsford, Cheshire) Supreme, A.H. Wilson, Woodmarsh Doorman Zandra 3; reserve, E. and C. Thomas, Noremead Baxter Kansas.
Intermediate Holstein (M. Knutsford) Sup., I. Morgan, Erie Brady Irene; res., Richard and Bethan Thomas, Churchvale Sid Rachel.
Junior Holstein (M. Knutsford) Sup., A.H. Wilson and son, Tregibby Maude Kitty; res., A.H. Wilson and son, Tregibby Fitz Beauty.
Coloured (M. Knutsford) Sup., A.H. Wilson and son, Tregibby Panama Tequila (Jersey); res., A.H. Wilson and son, Bluegrass Tequila Blondette (Jersey).
Red and white (M. Knutsford) Sup., Erie Holsteins and Starlet Holsteins, DKR Superf.
Source: FG Insight
