ABOVE LEFT This VG89 scored second calver descends from Thiersant Lili Starbuck.
ABOVE RIGHT Riverdane PS Ashlyn is a VG88 classified second calver.
BELOW RIGHT Being a farmer at heart Smithills Open Farm has allowed Anthony to establish the Carldanton herd.
heifer calves at dispersal sales from 2005 with the intention of calving them and selling them fresh. However, he kept them and started milking with a parlour that was purchased for £150. Purchases were made from
Yellowhill, Sternmoor, Lillyhall, Hellifield, Joyston and Almondene with some deeper pedigrees purchased from Riverdane alongside embryos.
One cow Anthony gets a lot of enjoyment out of is Lavenham Adeen which he owns in partnership with Mark Nutsford and Stephen Bell. Classified Ex92, this Durham daughter was interbreed champion at UK Dairy Expo and Great Yorkshire Show 2013, as well as grand champion at Agri-Scot 2012.
The Mahogany family is also developing a strong line at Carldanton as a result of an Advent sired embryo heifer out of the Ex90 classified Scientific
HERD FACTS r Average: 10,000kg at 3.90%bf 3.15%p r Cell count: 66 r In the flask: Gold Sun, Roses Reflection, Adven- ture, Lavanguard, Benjamin Red, Goldchip and Atwood r Milk Buyer:Woodcocks
THE JOURNAL OCTOBER 2014 43
Mahogany Red. Now classified VG87 the Advent has daughters in the herd by Roses Reflection, Riverdane Britannia and Alchemy. Her granddaughter Carldanton Benjamin Mahogany Red a Misty-Springs Benjamin Red daughter was champion calf at Cheshire County and Leek Shows 2014. Anthony also had the reserve champion calf at Cheshire with Carldanton Explode Springsteen. Her dam is the VG88 scored Riverdane Gold Springsteen, one of eight Very Good or Excellent dams going back to Pinehurst.
Another family that is placing its mark in the herd is the Lili family, a descendent from a VG87 classified Advent daughter of the prolific brood cow Thiersant Lili Starbuck. Carldanton Talent Lili is a VG89 scored second calver out of the Advent, she is one that Anthony admires and was heifer champion at Great Eccleston Show in 2013. Last year Anthony purchased Riverdane PS Ashlyn from Mark Nutsford. This Shottle daughter is out of the Ex90 scored Smiddiehill Durm Ashlyn and is now classified VG88 as a second calver after calving twin Goldsun heifer calves in April.
The farm is expanding at Smithills with the purchase of 160 acres two years ago to grow extra silage and haylage. Since the purchase of this land cow numbers have grown from 40 to 100 to make the dairy more viable and profitable. Going forward the parlour will need to be upgraded, however, Carl is certain of one thing - the public must be able to see cows being milked. At the same time the Open Farm will naturally expand with demand, currently new toilet and hand wash facilities are being built to cope with larger numbers and a better indoor play area will be the next focus in the future.
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