The judge of the forthcoming Diageo Baileys Champion Dairy Cow competition says he will be looking out for “a cow that emulates the true type model, not necessarily big, but balanced with that extra bit of style.”
He is David Hodgson and farms 350 acres just outside Carlisle, in partnership with his wife Louise and his parents. Their Wormanby Herd consists of 190 milking cows with an average of 11,000kg on twice a day milking. The Herd won the prestigious Holstein UK Premier Herd in 2015 and has been a Master Breeder Herd since 2009.
David has been on the Holstein UK National Judging Panel for the last 15 years. He has judged the UK National Herd Competition Final (2015), ABAB Calf Show (2015), South West Dairy Show and the Celtic Showcase. This will be David’s third time judging in Ireland, having judged Charleville a number of years ago and the All Ireland Calf Show just last year. He also said he was ‘honoured to be asked to judge the Diageo Baileys Champion Cow because it was one of the most prestigious shows to be held in the UK and Ireland’.
The Diageo Baileys Champion Cow has a 10,000 Euro prize fund. It is co-sponsored by Glanbia Ireland, suppliers of cream to Diageo for Baileys and takes place on 22nd August at the Virginia Show in Co. Cavan.
Source: Farming Life
