Livestock Event 2015: In-milk heifer championship

Jersey breeders the Wright family from Staffordshire where swiftly among the title-takers at this year’s National Dairy Show, NEC, Birmingham, having scooped the inter-breed in-milk heifer championship with their November 2012-born Fourcrosses Tequila Black Rose.

By Tower View Prime Tequila and out of Fourcrosses Bigtime Primrose, this smart heifer has come a long way since being placed fourth in its class at the National Calf Show previously. Now 139 days into her first lactation she is giving 24 litres/day averaging 4.57% butterfat and 3.94% protein. Inter-breed judge Chris Lang from Ohio, USA, praised her for having ‘a lot of show-ring presence’.

Leading her on the day, Isobel Wright told Farmers Weekly: “She calved really well and comes from a cow family that is not that well known but works very well for us. She’s now back in calf (by AI) to the young bull Van Halan.”

In reserve place was ET Tomlinson and Sons’ April 2012-born Sandyford Ristourn Russet led by Blaze Tomlinson. Described by  judge Mr Lang as having ‘a tremendous amount of frame, size and balance’, this heifer is by Lagace Ristourn and out of Sandyford Russet 70.