AgriScot, the farm business event, taking place on Wednesday 21st November, will this year feature an entirely new class in the dairy cattle show programme.
The event, which encompasses all farming sectors throughout its packed exhibition halls and seminar rooms, has long been renowned for its outstanding dairy cattle show. The 2018 show will see £25,000 in prize money up for grabs thanks to the generous support of sponsors including NWF Agriculture and Davidsons Animal Feeds amongst others.
For 2018, by popular demand, a new section for ‘Any other Breed’ has been introduced alongside the traditional, Ayrshire, Holstein, Jersey and Red & White classes. The new class, open to both in-milk heifers and cows, aims to attract exhibitors of breeds such as the Brown Swiss, British Friesian and Dairy Shorthorn.
AgriScot Chairman, Robert Neill, commented:
“Our board of Directors, which includes 3 directors representing the Scottish Dairy Cattle Association, is tremendously proud of the magnificent show of dairy cattle exhibited each year at AgriScot.”
“Going forward, we are keen to open up the show classes to encourage exhibitors of other breeds to take part. These breeds may not be numerically strong within the national herd, but nevertheless we believe there are some top-class cattle out there and we look forward to welcoming them along to our show ring.
“Our show schedule is available now, with closing date for entries on 31st October.”
Mr Neill also announced this years’ cattle judge as Kevin Wilson from Wood Farm, Thursby, Carlisle.
Mr Wilson runs 440 pedigree Holsteins on 700 acres. The herd, which is housed all year, averages 10,300litres of milk at 4.2% Butterfat and 3.4% protein from a diet based on grass and maize silage and whole crop wheat. The farm also supports 400 ewes, including pedigree Texel and Beltex flocks.
The Holsteins at Wood Farm are run under the Warnelview prefix. Warnelview cows are themselves no strangers to show-ring success and, in breeding and commercial traits, 100 of the cows are rated as excellent.
The herd is also a renowned breeder of pedigree Holstein bulls, with 35 sold each year to make their mark in other renowned herds. Around 150 surplus milking heifers are also sold each year.
Kevin Wilson has judged at the Great Yorkshire, the Royal Welsh, the Cheshire and various county shows across England. To date his only judging stint north of the border was at Castle Douglas.
“I am very much looking forward to judging at AgriScot. I love judging dairy cattle and expect to see some tremendous cows and heifers forward at Ingliston.”
“It will be very interesting to see some of the other breeds coming in to the AgriScot ring. I like a cow, of any breed, which clearly exhibits dairy strength. That for me, above all, means good udder attachment and veins and 4 good legs and feet. I am sure I will see all of that and more at AgriScot.”
Dairy cattle judging at AgriScot is split in to heifer and cow classes and culminates in the prestigious Super Heifer and Super Cow awards, which each come with a £1000 prize pot for eligible cattle.
