Farm: “We run a 100-cow spring-calving dairy herd, rearing all heifers and 30 Angus calves to beef on 200ac. It’s a family job, with my father Albert, mother Hillary, brother Owen, grandmother Gladys and girlfriend Jennifer all having a role.”

Calving: “We started on 1 February and we’re about 70% of the way there now. The cows were out to grass on Tuesday and we’re milking them twice a day through a 20-unit Pearson parlour. We supply Glanbia and did an average of 500kg milk solids per cow last year. We’d hope to do the same again this year.”

Ross aims to breed a cow that is a 50-50 Holstein and British Friesian mix for their hybrid vigour. \ Claire Nash

Breeding: “The cows are mostly a 50-50 Holstein and British Friesian mix and we’re trying to get the best of both worlds with the hybrid vigour and avoid inbreeding. There’s still some Montbéliarde in some of the older cows too. We like a low-maintenance cow that can give a quality bull calf. “We do all our own AI and run two Angus stock bulls then for cleanup.”

The 100-cow dairy herd was let out to grass on Tuesday. \ Claire Nash

Triplets: “Last week we had a fifth-calver have triplet Angus calves, something none of us had seen in all our time farming. The two bulls and a heifer are all doing well. She was scanned for twins with the first two tangled up a bit but we got number one out and then sorted the second. A neighbour was in the yard and by chance had only been saying to me that she could have a third. I was giving the first two biestings and doing their navels and saw another foot when the cow turned around. The last one came backwards but he got going no problem.”

Cows are milked in a 20-unit Pearson parlour. \ Claire Nash

Pride: “My grandmother Gladys is very proud of the triplets and has been keeping a very close eye on them. They’ve had great interest from all the neighbours.”