This Saturday 22 October the 34th National Dairy Show takes centre stage at the Green Glens Complex in Millstreet, Co Cork. Organised by a voluntary committee selected from the Cork Club, the show requires large sums of money to stage, with in excess of €100,000 spent last year.

Most of this is provided by sponsors and the more than 100 trade stands at the show, which provide attendees a chance to see a great variety of technology available as well as an opportunity to engage with trade personnel.

The cattle societies that exhibit both Holstein Friesian and Jersey cattle have continuously been very loyal and strong supporters of the show. Animals from the four corners of the island are once again being primed for a tilt at the €30,000 prize fund that is on offer.

Among the leading contenders for national honours are the Jones Family’s recently crowned Baileys Champion Hallow Advent Twizzle, who earlier this year was champion at EXPO and reserve champion at Balmoral. This great cow is in her fifth lactation and scored EX96, just one point off the maximum score, and her Atwood daughter was a class winner at the European show held in Colmar, France, a few months ago.

Liam Murphy from Carlow will be travelling with high hopes for his entry Evergrange Duplex Ebony, who in the last few weeks was reserve champion at the aforementioned Baileys and Tullamore shows. Bryan O’Connor from Cork, who this year secured champion titles at Charleville and Tullamore shows, will be a strong contender with his cow Clongowes Sid Almeric, as well as fellow Cork breeder and recent TV sensation Patrick Coffey with Lisnacunna Dee Beauty Red.

In the junior section, Roy Cromie from Co Donegal will be back after a few years’ sabbatical with his summer YMA champion Dalevalley Dorman Tracey. The National Dairy Show will once again facilitate the holding of the Young Members’ Association (YMA) showmanship league finals, which will take place on the Friday evening prior to the show and on Saturday morning proceedings will begin with two handling classes as the coveted title of champion handler is keenly contested.

The inclusion of the Jersey breed has broadened the appeal and contributed handsomely to the number of exhibitors and the number of cattle on display. This year there will be a strong Jersey entry and among the leading names will be Eamon McLoughney from Nenagh with Ribblesdale Excitation Willow, Avril Helen’s Kilgariffe Molly and Rob Hancock’s Abbotsley Tequila Roxy, both Clonakilty, Co Cork, breeders.

The AI industry is very much central to this year’s show and all the AI companies have been invited to participate in a bull mother and progeny display at the show. This new initiative will result in Irish bull mothers of some of the bulls recently entering AI centres as well as the bulls that were available in the past year being on display throughout the day.

One notable cow confirmed is Radney QUR ODDETTA, a superb 10-year-old that has classified Ex 93 seven times, and has completed eight lactations with an average yield of 10,000 litres at 4.23% fat and 3.89% protein.

Along with this, Oddetta calved for the first time on 7 February 2008 and calved in for the eighth time on 06 February 2015, gaining one day over the eight lactations. Her owner and breeder Henry O’Keeffe decided to flush ODDETTA extensively last spring and there are now numerous progeny on the way at Knockavilla, Freemount, in north Cork.

Henry said: “She is breeding exceptionally well, with a high-profile son in AI Radney Levi 5 YRY. YRY is a Eurogene sire that is now standing over in Cogent UK and offers a great all-round package of milk, high solids and fertility. YRY is also a proven ease-of-calving sire. His full sister calved in this past spring with a FR2028 son that has gone to Dovea AI station. She classified VG85 as a two-year-old.

“Her dam was a MAU Cow and her Ex 90 Granddam by Barold Rock Seal completed 16 lactations with a few over 4.0% protein while her third dam also completed 13 lactations.”

There will also be a display of daughters of some of the proven sires that are currently available. The AI industry and the organising committee are delighted to be associated with this exciting venture that should be of major benefit to farmers in assisting them select a sire for their herd.

Classifier at Holstein UK to judge in Millstreet

Meurig James will judge this year’s National Dairy Show. Meurig has a wealth of experience, representing club, county and country in several competitions, mainly dairy stock judging, being involved with the South Wales Holstein Friesian Club and has represented the club several times at the Royal Show.

Meurig has moved up the ranks, starting out judging at smaller shows and progressing to several major shows throughout the UK and Ireland including The Royal Dublin Spring Show, the Baileys at Virginia, The National Dairy Show at Millstreet, and several leading shows in Cork, Waterford, Lancashire, Nottinghamshire and Wales, and has judged several other breeds and Interbreeds at major shows.

He was successful in becoming a type classifier in 1993 with the old Holstein Friesian Society before progressing to senior classifier and last year was appointed head classifier for Holstein UK where he is now responsible for a team of 14 classifiers and four field development officers classifying 13 different breeds and still expanding.

Arrell to judge handler classes

Jane Arrell will be this year’s handler judge at the National Dairy Show in Millstreet. Jane grew up on a dairy farm in Cheshire and was fortunate to complete a year’s work experience at Bidlea Holsteins before going on to Reaseheath College. It was this year’s work experience that stoked her passion for the Holstein cow and since then she has worked with many great show cows in the UK.

To date, Jane has judged calves and handlers at the Royal Welsh, Royal Highland, as well as several county shows and club qualifiers over the past 20 years. She has also judged herd competitions at regional level within the UK and Ireland.

Jane, her husband Phil and daughter Isla register a small herd of Holsteins and Jerseys under the Thistlerose prefix.