It was a double win for Edward, Eiddwen, Iwan and Menna Morgan, Carmarthen of Erie Holsteins who took both the supreme champion and reserve during Wednesday’s dairy judging at the Royal Welsh Show.
Bred by Nobold Holsteins and out of Nobold Alexander Joan, Mr Morgan said he swapped some embryos for it as a calf after taking a liking to its great-grandmother while in Canada.
It was champion heifer at the Royal Welsh last year as well as the Welsh Dairy Show.
Judge, John Gribbon, Lancashire said he favoured the Holstein for her ’fantastic udder’, adding it handled its legs and feet very well.
JERSEY
Reserve in the inter-breed and champion Jersey was again from the Morgan Family. It is a home-bred EX95 cow-in-milk, Erie Baywatch Grove, which is from two home-bred parents and naturally served.
At one month fresh, it is giving 30kg/day at 6.5 per cent butterfat and 4.45 per cent protein.
It was champion Jersey at last year’s UK Dairy Day and will be going back to Telford to compete this year.
DAIRY SHORTHORN
At its one and only show of the year, Gelli Retinue Jill from Ian and Eiddwen Harries, Cross Hands, Carmarthenshire took champion in the Dairy Shorthorns.
It calved in April with its third calf and took honorable mention in 2014’s Royal Welsh Show as a heifer in milk and champion Dairy Shorthorn heifer at the Welsh Dairy Show in the same year.
The Harries family keep 35 Dairy Shorthorn cows at home alongside their 95 Holsteins.
AYRSHIRE
In the Ayrshires, Willhome Gold Moppit 2 from Phillip and Stuart Williams, Haverfordwest took the championship. July-2010 born, it is a home-bred Cuthill Towers Autumn Gold daughter and out of Pylon Moppit 2, which they bought at the Pylon dispersal herd in 2008.
It made up the winning inter-breed pair along with its herd-mate Willhome Modem Caroline, a October-2010 born home-bred third-calver. Modem Caroline also won its class at the recent National Ayrshire Show.
It is giving 42kg/day at 4.28 per cent fat and 3.24 per cent protein, being three months calved.
Last year, it won second senior cow at the National Ayrshire Show, held during the Livestock Event and champion Ayrshire at Pembrokeshire County, where they will return to next month.
BROWN SWISS
All four entries in the Brown Swiss classes were from Stephen Jones, Raglan who keeps 40 Brown Swiss cows and 250 Holsteins in partnership with his brother Rob.
His champion was fourth-calver Hollysprings Sunny Silver, out of home-bred cow Hollysprings Prelude Silver and by Sun Made Vigor.
Last calved in December, it is giving 35kg/day at 5 per cent fat and 3 per cent protein.
At this year’s Livestock Event, Sunny Silver took reserve in the senior cow class and will now go to UK Dairy Day, the South West Dairy Shoew and some locals.
Source: FG Insight