SCOTTISH WINNER: ERROLSTON HERD, BRIAN, VALERIE AND CRAIG DAVIDSON
time. Although they enjoy showing their focus has also turned to production and efficiency, milking three times a day to try and maximise output.
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Number of cows: 200 Milk yield: 11,607kg at 4.00%bf 3.10% p on three times a day milking.
Number of staff: Two full time employees and two night milkers. Breeding goals: We are currently trying to breed for high components, especially protein, as our milk buyer, Arla, is moving towards a constituent based contract. We also try to use bulls with good health traits, especially daughter fertility and somatic cell counts. What do you feel makes a good cow family? Families that consistently transmit desirable traits Best cow currently on the farm: Lliwe Rosette 25 EX95-8E LP150 SP 5*, sired by Startmore Rudolph, her dam also gave a lifetime yield of over 100 tonnes. Between them
they have produced over a quarter of a million litres in 21 lactations and never had a case of mastitis or needed any antibiotics for anything. Sire which has worked best in the herd: Startmore Rudolph. He made trouble free cows that lasted forever. Sire selection criteria: High components, good daughter fertility, low somatic cell count and low stillbirths rate. Current AI sires: Sandy-Valley Penmanship, De-Su Ransom, Regancrest Iota, Wintersell Milo, DG Calando, Mapel Wood Brewmaster Achievements:
Seven times winners of Scottish Herd competition, five times winners of South West Scotland Herd competition, three times winners of Border and Lakeland Winter Classic
WESTERN WINNER: SHANAEL HERD, MICHAEL, SHAN, PAUL AND STEVE MILLER
he Shanael herd is a focus and passion of the entire family with Michael, Shan ,Paul and Steve running the herd full time with help from, Katie and Amy when they are not working with their own careers. Focus has moved from showing to a more commercial approach as numbers have increased. However, the aim to breed cows with type, good udders, legs and feet still applies.
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Number of cows: 390 in the herd, milking 345. Milk yield: 12,500kg at 3.7%bf 3.2%p on three times a day milking.
Number of staff: Five including Michael, Paul and Steve, plus part time help. Breeding goals: Still breeding for type, good udders, legs and feet. Looking for compact, powerful cows that will last in a commercial system.
What do you feel makes a good cow family? Families that stand the test of time and functional cows. Best cow currently on the farm: Shanael Observer Golden, she milks well with good type and genomics. She has the whole package.
Sire which has worked best in the herd: Iota is a bull that is breeding the kind of cow that we are looking for, compact, fertile cows that are suiting commercial systems. Bolton and his sons Mogul and Dorcy are also breeding well, he has done so much for the breed with milk and the kind of type we need in the modern system. Sire selection criteria: Type, sire stack, got to have +500kg of milk, positive on cell count and daughter fertility.
Current AI sires: Proven: Mogul, Graffiti, genomic: Wiltor Baloo and Wiltor Dreamer (Cogent), Galactico
(Mastergen). Using predominantly genomic bulls but when bulls like Mogul and Grafeeti have been proven and are better than the others, we are happy to go back and use them. Achievements: Winning the Gold Cup in 2012 is the biggest achievement for the herd to date, while breeding Shanael Gelpro Melody and Shanael Leader Marie who won the National Holstein Show are breeding achievements we are proud of. What was your last purchase in genetics? Haven’t purchased embryos or livestock for five years or so, the last purchased was embryos from the Eroy family by Jeeves.
Numbers of times the herd has been a regional winner: Two
Herd classification: 90 EX, 150 VG (including 60 VG heifers) and 100 GP.
What do you feel in your herd’s appearance helps their performance? Capacity, udders, feet and legs. What is the most recent investment you have made in the farm? We are expanding all the time, in the past 12 months we have put another 100 cubicles in. We are always reinvesting and trying to grow the business to make it more efficient.
(team of 10 cows), reserve champion at the Royal Show 2004, grand champion at the Royal Highland Show 2004.
What was your last purchase in genetics? Embryos by Sandy-Valley Penmanship and out of Larcrest Carlin.
Numbers of times the herd has been a regional winner: Seven Herd classification: 48 EX and 91 VG
What do you feel in your herd’s appearance helps their performance?
The quality of their feet and legs. What is the most recent investment you have made in the farm? A new tractor.
rian and Craig Davidson have an enthusiasm for pedigrees and good families and this has paid off in the Errolston herd winning the Scottish region for the seventh
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