Farmer Focus: Scottish awards success with Holsteins

It has been a quiet month since you last heard from us, with a lot of routine work on the farm.

The South West Scotland Dairy Show saw 68 head of dairy cattle exhibited – the largest number we have had there in a few years.

We were fortunate enough to come away with Champion Holstein with Logan Sid Edie in a very strong show of animals.

At home, the mild weather has brought a lot of flies very late in the season. I have never known so many at this time of the year.

See also: Read more from the livestock farmer focus writers

Fortunately the calves are still doing well despite the weather, due to the new young stock shed with exceptional ventilation, curtain sides and the light ridge.

In the lead-up to AgriScot, Michael conveniently broke his ankle while playing rugby and is hobbling around in a cast and crutches so there’s not a lot of extra work getting done on the farm.

We were very fortunate to have some extra help at the show and Michael was lucky enough to make the final three for the Holstein UK President’s Medal Award.

AgriScot is a fantastic farming event, which is getting more popular by the year. The horrendous weather brought more visitors to the event, although it didn’t make the journey home very much fun.

See more: Farmer focus: Triumph as cows bring home the trophies

Despite the milk machine still getting bashed into the walls, we really have seen an improvement in the calves’ health.

They are getting more milk into them at a younger age and they are weaning at double their birth weight due to the shuttle, which has made feeding more consistent.

Our next event is the Borderway Black & White Sale in Carlisle. We are selling two of our fancy show calves.

Logan Kingboy Ambrosia 3 is from a family well known in the show ring – the Ambrosias – and Eastford Armani Tabitha is out of our Royal Highland Show 2014 Interbreed Champion.

Hopefully their buyers will have as much fun with the families as we have had.

Brian Yates milks 250 pedigree Holsteins in Castle Douglas, Kirkcudbrightshire in partnership with his wife, Sheila, son Michael and daughter Anna. Surplus heifers are sold for breeding.