The Simlahill Herd was crowned overall winner of Holstein NI’s Herds Inspection Competition sponsored by Ulster Bank.

 

The awards ceremony coincided with the Holstein Celebration visit to the McCann’s dairy enterprise at Bangor, an event which attracted almost four hundred breed enthusiasts from across the UK and Ireland. 

 

Owned by Jim McCann, and son Nicholas, the 180-cow herd is no stranger to success in the hotly contested competition.

 

Simlahill has won the premier medium herd section six times in succession, and this recent achievement marks a total of four premiership titles for the County Down herd.

 

Jim and Nicholas aim to breed balanced cows with strength, sound legs and feet, and tight udders.  Prolific cow families includes Danoise, Georgina, Oralie and Willow.

 

The herd boasts a 305-day average of 10,782 litres of milk at 3.94% butterfat and 3.21% protein, with 3,015 litres produced from forage.

 

As well as claiming the competition’s top award, the Simlahill Herd won the prizes for the best senior cow with Simlahill Shottle Lola. Herd veteran Simlahill Outside Dallas scooped the award for the best 70T cow.

 

Club chairman Tommy Henry thanked Ulster Bank for its continued support of the competition. “I would also like to thank the judges and stewards who contributed to the smooth running of the competition. “

 

Premier herd judge Richard Pilkington from the Aintree Herd in North Wales thanked Holstein NI for inviting him to judge.  “I thoroughly enjoyed the experience as I like looking at good cows and various farming systems. 

 

“It was quite a challenge placing the herds and individual animals in each category. I saw some stunning heifers, great 70T cows, and some excellent progeny groups. Well done to everyone involved.”

 

The junior section of the competition was judged by newly elected Holstein UK president David Perry from Ahoghill; while the senior section was placed by Dessie Dunleavy from Drogheda.

 

Julie Hazelton