NI herd wins inaugural British Friesian Herd of Year Award
5 May 2021 |
The award recognises the most outstanding British Friesian herd (Photo: British Friesian Breeders Club)
A farming family from Northern Ireland have been announced the winners of the 2021 British Friesian Herd of the Year Award with their Castledale herd.
The award is aimed at recognising the top performing British Friesian herd each year, based on a combination of classification and production.
The Castledale herd, owned by the Stockdale family, is situated on the Lecale Peninsula in Co Down, having farmed in the area since the 1600s.
However, it wasn’t until the 1950s that British Friesians were introduced onto the farm by Gordon Stockdale s father Tom.
Gavin Stockdale pictured in 2018 winning the British Friesian herd competition. Image source: British Friesian Breeders Club
A Northern Ireland dairy farm has been named the winner of a new UK-wide award for the best British Friesian herd of the year.
Castledale herd, which is owned by Gordon and Gavin Stockdale and family from Lecale, Co. Down, has been named the first British Friesian Herd of the Year.
The Stockdale family have farmed in the area since the 1600s; however, it wasn’t until the 1950s that British Friesians were introduced onto the farm by Gordon’s father Tom.
AI was used from the 1960s onwards which was driving the herd forwards. In 1997, when Gordon’s son Gavin returned home from college, the herd was registered as pedigree under the Castledale prefix; classification and milk recording were also introduced.
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This three-week-old Hereford heifer made €295.
There was a big turnout in Bandon Mart, with just under 1,700 calves going through the west Cork sales ring this week. A rise of 25% on last week.
Dairy bull calves provided the backbone for the sale, with a strong showing of Angus and Hereford calves backing them up.
This five-week old Hereford bull calf sold for €350.
A consistent trend this year has been the ability of the strong, well-done calves to be at the top end of their respective breed price ranges.
Three to five weeks old was the commonest age range and anything younger than that was generally on the back foot in terms of price.