Queen Elizabeth’s cow graces national dairy show
She is most definitely of royal stock, but you won’t see her splashed across the cover of Woman’s Day with her udders out.
Ferdon Volcom Locket, a cow co-owned by Queen Elizabeth II, is on show in Feilding this week.
While her blood may be blue, her milk is perfectly ordinary.
The three-year-old jersey cow is among the third generation of stock co-owned by Don Ferguson, from Ferdon Genetics in Otorohanga, and the head of the Commonwealth.
Don’s son Warren Ferguson was on-hand at the New Zealand Dairy Event 2017 at Manfeild on Tuesday to show off Ferdon Volcom Locket.
He said he had been to the Queen’s dairy farm at Windsor, and that she was a dab hand at recognising good cows and horses.
‘‘And the Queen has visited us at Ferdon Genetics in Otorohanga. She came in 1990.’’
He said co-owning cows was an ‘‘interest she and dad [Don] had had since they first owned a cow together in 1977".
Don Ferguson had travelled to Britain in 1992 and helped prepare the Queen’s cows for showing.
Ferdon Volcom Locket is one of 360 cattle at the New Zealand Dairy Event, on until Friday.
It brings top dairy cows, heifers and calves from all over the country, and hundreds to the region.
Most cattle are in the stadium to be shown rather than sold. There is kudos in winning breed sections, but the most mana comes from winning the supreme champion title. Last year’s winner was Ferdon Comerica Viyella, a jersey cow that had previously won the supreme title in 2015 and 2012. She has now been retired from showing off her form. Six breeds take part in the show. of farmers