Close
Sign in
Club directory

Northern Ireland
01/10/2021 09:00:00
SHARE

Northern Ireland Holstein Club - October News

Simlahill Herd secures fifth Holstein premiership title

The McCann family’s Bangor-based Simlahill Herd has been crowned overall winner of Holstein NI’s 2021 Herds Inspection Competition. The results of the hotly contested competition, which attracted almost 70 entries, were announced at the club’s recent BBQ and charity auction, held in Dungannon. 

Owned by father and son duo, Jim and Nicholas McCann, the 175-cow Simlahill Herd has been the best medium herd in the premier section for nine years in succession; winning the competition’s overall premiership award five times during that period.

Founded in 1990 the Simlahill prefix is synonymous with top-quality, high yielding Holstein cows. “We aim to breed balanced cows with strength, sound legs and feet, and tight well-attached udders,” explained Nicholas, who was awarded Holstein UK’s coveted Master Breeder status in 2014.

The herd is currently averaging 10,943kgs at 3.97% butterfat and 3.24% protein. Prolific cow families include Danoise, Georgina, Kate, and the Carlin family founded from the purchase of embryos from Larcrest. AI bulls featuring in the breeding program are King Doc, Lambda, Chief and Pepper.

The premier section of the competition was judged by Scotsman Brian Yates from the noted Logan Herd based in Castle Douglas. “Thanks to Holstein NI for inviting me to judge. It was an honour to be asked.”

Brian Yates added: “I enjoyed the hospitality and my three-day tour of herds in Northern Ireland. Thanks to the stewards who accompanied me, and of course, the entrants who made the effort to present cows to an exceptionally high standard. Judging the premier section was a huge challenge, but the individual categories proved to be an even bigger task due to the high standard of entries.”

County Tyrone breeder Alwyn Burns from Caledon was the best new entrant in the junior section of the competition. Sponsored by Cookstown Dairy Services, the junior section was judged by Wallace Patton from the Greenisle Herd based in Newtownards, County Down. Wallace was full of praise for the calibre of the herds competing in the junior section.

The senior section of the competition, sponsored by Trioliet, was judged by former Holstein UK classifier Malcolm Dyson. He also complimented competitors on the high standard of entries.

Holstein NI chairman Iain McLean congratulated the prize winners and thanked the judges for giving up their time to officiate in the three categories of the competition. “We are greatly indebted to Cookstown Dairy Services and Trioliet for their continued sponsorship of the Herds Inspection Competition.”