Holstein cow reigns supreme in interbreed championship

Dairy cattle took centre stage at the Royal Highland Show yesterday with the breed judging culminating in the interbreed championship which was won by a Holstein cow.

Robert and Elaine Butterfield’s third calver, Newbirks Jazz from their Linghaw Farm near Lancaster, calved in April and is yielding 63 l per day.

In her last lactation she gave 13,400 l. Bought as a heifer in-milk, she was champion at the Great Yorkshire Show last year and came second in Europe at the European Champions show.

Reserve interbreed was the Ayrshire from first time Highland exhibitor, Mungo Bryson, Whiteflat, Mauchline.

Changue Martha, a fifth calver, is one of only five Ayrshires in the herd of 185 milkers at Whiteflat and Mungo nearly did not bring her to the show as he felt, at 250 days calved, she was past her best.

She was champion at Dairy Expo at Carlisle and reserve at Agriscot and Ayr.

She is projected to over 11,000 l this lactation.

The British Red and White championship went to Brian Weatherup and son, also Brian, Parkend, Crossgates, for their home-bred third calver, Parkend Director Starlet Red.

She just calved a month ago and is giving 60 l per day, having yielded 14,500 l in her last lactation.

Better known for their black and whites with which they have won three times at the Highland, this was the Weatherups’ first red and white win. They milk 220 cows at Parkend. In the Dairy Shorthorn section it was a clean sweep for Fife breeder Adam Lawson, North Cassingray.

He just has 20 Dairy Shorthorn cows which run alongside 130 Friesians but he took champion, reserve, junior champion and best bred by exhibitor at the show yesterday.

The champion was Winbrook VI, a third calver projected to 8,000 l, which he bought at Penrith as a heifer.

His reserve was a fourth calver which was reserve champion at the Highland last year for her owner, John Teasdale, before being bought by Adam in March.

Brafell Rosalyn calved in February and is projected to 8,500 l.

Last year’s winners, the Lawrie family from Cuthill Towers, Milnathort, had to make do with a junior championship this year in a strong Ayrshire section.

Cuthill Towers El Paso Easy Lady calved for the first time in October and was second in her class at Agriscot.

Picture: Ron Stephen. The British Red and White championship went to Brian Weatherup and son, also Brian, Parkend, Crossgates, for their home-bred third calver, Parkend Director Starlet Red.