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Five years after the belated introduction of quotas to Guernsey Island the Island Dairy are calling for an extra 2 million litres of milk (+25%) and the question is whether the 20 or so dairy farmers on the Island will be able to find the extra cows given that there …
Five years ago I took a call from Jason Salisbury who was looking to buy a small number of Guernseys ( 25 cows) to set up a new business making and selling cheese. Jason and Katherine were living on a farm in Coddenham Suffolk, where Jason milked and managed 90 Holsteins. His employer had just made him reduntant as he and his advisers could see no future for a “small” milking herd on that farm without a major re-investment in plant and machinery and given the “parkland” setting were not prepared to enlarge the herd and carry on.
The 133rd AGM of the U S Guernsey Association took place last weekend in Texas, organised primarily by Todd Moore of Lavon Farms, who is involved with the successful Lucky Layla Cheese and Milk products.
A feature of the annual event is a select sale of top quality heifers ,embryos and semen which are auctioned on the last day of the AGM. These animals are selected by Seth Johnson and his colleagues and each year the choice seems to improve and in each of the last three years have set new records. This year maintained that trend with an average for 30 Lots and choices of over $5000 and with 65 embryos averaging $435.
Stithians Show in Cornwall is and has been for several years the most keenly contested Guernsey show and for that matter it is one of the few summer shows to still provide competitive classes for all of the dairy breeds.
The 2009 show saw a new “star” emerge as Champion making her show ring debut and she was Clay Hill Glenda 4, a daughter of Easby Alacrity she was spotted by James Warren in the spring and bought privately from the Foords and is the second cow from Sussex to win a Championship in Cornwall this summer.
Jens Gold G Hawk has his first Excellent daughter in the UK, she is Bickfield Olivia 26, bred and owned by the Durbin family and shown for them by the Sales family. She is the 2009 North Somerset Show Champion and the 2009 Royal Bath & West Show Reserve Champion, there …
Jason and Katherine Salisbury were able to retain the Royal Norfolk Guernsey Championship when Sharnford Marigold was again placed as Breed Champion, she was Reserve Supreme in 2008 and competes again for that title later today. Jason and Katherine have recently moved to a bigger farm to accomodate their growing …
The St Senara Dispersal sale for Peter Cattran at Holsworthy market found a tremendous trade with 14 Guernsey females selling for over 1000 guineas and a further 20 making more than 800 guineas, the top price was Lot 33 who made 2000 and was bought by Colin Evans for his Hilcol herd at Carmarthen. She was St Senara Adrienne,
Some of you may have seen the article on the front page of The Daily Telegraph Weekend Section (Sat 27th June 09) reporting on a day out at the Bath and West Show, one of the highlights of which was watching the milking demonstration, feeding the Guernsey calves and seeing the surplus milk turned into Yoghurt and Butter.
The old established Nuthurst herd of Blyth Model Dairies were sold on 25th June 2009, the herd was established in the 1930’s by Prince Littler and the herd was purchased in the 70’s by Mr Wagstaff and was passed on to his daughter and son in law Mr & Mrs Vardy.
Remarkably the herd had been milked and managed since 1955 by the Huntley family with Stan Huntley in charge for 40 years before handing the reins to grandson Matthew Eely who supervised yesterdays sale.
36 females from 8 exhibitors provided the best show of the season with every class requiring Duncan Vincent to make challenging decisions and delivering an exciting climax.
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