The Ayrshire Journal 10 11 the Ayrshire Journal Written by Alan Timbrell Breed Heritage Report
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1 The Ayrshire Journal The Ayrshire Journal 2 Editorial Breed Manager’s Report ............................................... 5 Society News .............................................................8-9 elcome Breed Heritage ............................................................ 12 W Ayrshire Diary .............................................................. 14 To the 2014 Winter edition of the Ayrshire Journal. All Breeds Calf Show Report ..................................18-19 Stuart and Philip’s Word Dairy Expo Visit ..................... 35 Since my last report I have travelled many Show Reports ........................................................24-28 miles attending meetings, shows, judging Cattle Services Report ................................................. 30 seminars and club get-togethers where I Classifications/Club Cows/Star Broods ..................36-40 have had many interesting discussions with Club News ..............................................................43-46 our members. One of the highlights was attending the Royal Welsh Show for the first Advertisers time. Beautiful weather and a fantastic show Adamson J & Son ....................................................... 11 all round, which Ann and I really enjoyed. Armstrong M/s ............................................................ 16 Batty H & L .................................................................. 16 This summer has been very kind to most of us Baynes G G & Son ........................................................ 6 Willie Whiteford which has really helped young stock around Broadley J D & B F ...................................................... 34 the country to thrive, which in turn will prepare Cattle Services (Ayr) Ltd ............................................... 48 them well for the winter. On the theme of the young, our young members have also Cheshire County Show ................................................ 35 been present at many of the events I have been to, and as always it is always good Christophers W R C & J E ........................................... 42 to see several new faces. Cogent ........................................................................ 32 Cromie & McLean ........................................................ 10 The two judging seminars both proved to be very interesting, and they were both Davidson K .................................................................... 7 very well attended. It is always good for us all to be able to exchange views at such Embryonics ................................................................. 22 events. Of the shows I have visited, including the South West Dairy Show, Welsh Evans M ...................................................................... 31 Dairy Show and the All Breeds All Britain Calf Show, I have been very impressed Harrison & Hetherington .............................................. 30 with the standards of cattle present, and it is always encouraging to see new faces Hunter J & M ................................................................. 4 at the top of lines. Lawrie A & S ................................................................ 47 NMR ............................................................................ 41 I was very apprehensive before my first council meeting as President, but I am Platts Animal Bedding Specialists ................................ 10 pleased to say it was a very positive meeting, with a lot of input from council RABDF ........................................................................ 15 members where decisions could quickly be made, which helped to move through Rimmer A .................................................................... 17 the busy agenda efficiently. Thomas G ................................................................... 33 Following the World Federation meeting in July, John Cochrane resigned from his Tomlinson B ............................................................... IFC post as Breed Secretary, and I would like to take this opportunity to personally Walters A R & D L ........................................................ 22 thank John for all he did for our Society during his term of employment. John has a Williams P G & S .......................................................... 13 tremendous depth of knowledge of our breed which has helped us to move forward. Window C & L ............................................................. 23 I wish John and Margaret a long and happy retirement. Advertising Rates For Members During the next few weeks Ann and I are very much looking forward to attending Page - £180 + VAT your club functions. The year is disappearing quickly which means next year is fast Half - £110 + VAT approaching. The Cumberland club have been busy making plans and fund raising Quarter - £85 + VAT for the conference in May where we will look forward to welcoming as many of you Members can take three consecutive full page or half as possible. page adverts at a reduced rate. Please contact the Society office for further details. Closing date for the Wishing you all a very happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year. next journal is 28th February 2015. Cover: A selection of 2014 Ayrshire Champions. Images by Jane Steel and Lucinda Morgan. Designed by Agri Promotions Ltd Visit our Patron: Her Majesty the Queen Hon Presidents: Lord Plumb, DL, Coleshill and J M H Rennie, Brocklehill, Ayr website by President: Willie Whiteford, Middle Farm, Ruleholme, Irthington, Carlisle Tel: 01697 72220 scanning this Business Co-ordinator: Arthur Lawrie - Tel: 01577 830221 QR code. Breed Manager: Duncan Hunter - Tel: 0777 1826403 Cattle Services Marketing & Promotions Officer: Edward Evans - Tel: 01691 682730 / 07814 087913 Office Manager: Claire Kimm, Westburn House, McNee Road, Prestwick, Ayrshire KA9 2PB Tel: 01292 471292 Fax: 01292 474686 Email: [email protected] Web: www.ayrshirescs.org Charity No.: SC007015 The views and opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the Society which cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of the information contained in advertisements. 3 The Ayrshire Journal The Ayrshire Journal 4 Breed Manager’s Report Written by Duncan Hunter This year is now drawing to an end, and I seriously do believe that the An Ayrshire complete package will soon be available from CIS, along breed is stronger now than I remember it being for a long time. The with a similar option from NMR. Please do not cancel your classification enthusiasm I see all over the country gives me, as your Breed Manager, visits in the hope of waiting for this to start as it’s not quite that simple! so much drive to help take the membership and the breed forward for the Details on this will be available early in the New Year. future. I am often asked by people from outside our breed what it is that I am responsible for. A good question! I have a long list of responsibilities The two judging seminars were extremely well supported this year and I for both members and the breed, and that list does seem to be getting must thank Mark Evans and his team and the Rankin family for allowing longer! But you know what? I thrive on any challenge thrown at me. us to host these events at their farms. Two seminars will be arranged for 2015 in Campbeltown and Manchester. Dates will be confirmed for both Back in August of this year we saw the PLI base change across all in the spring journal. breeds. In a general round up it is my belief that the new PLI figures help us to clearly identify sires who benefit the breed, and has also helped us to clearly identify those sires who are detriment to our breed. A high PLI Again the autumn shows have been very well supported by our breeders, sire generally indicates that the maternal line has a regular calving pattern and it is always good to catch up with you all. 2015 is another year indicating positive health and fertility traits. That female line will also be and as agreed by council the Livestock show 2015 will now officially recorded to have qualities through the legs and feet and mammary traits. be our National Ayrshire Show. This event was chosen as our National The same analysis can be worked the other way round on minus PLI show as it has the best transport links to the venue, which is the NEC sires, so it really is a useful tool. We should all use this as a means to in Birmingham on 8th and 9th July 2015. The facilities for your cows are improved herds and families here in the UK. If you have a good cow first class, with climate controlled buildings, excellent milking, washing family, but improvements are needed on the above traits, use the tools and clipping facilities, plenty of accommodation and services and above available to you to move your herds and business forward. all it is where you as breeders have already set the base for this event over the last two years. We shall again be asking our extremely talented Registrations have been very positive up and down the country. Many young breeders to come along to prepare and show your cows for breeders who got behind have caught up, and we have welcomed new you if required. Last year many new breeders sent their animals and members to the breed who have taken the decision to start registering were delighted with the way they were prepared and looked after for their animals. I know there are still more to be got in the New Year, and I the duration. If you are thinking of sending animals along please let me already