By Meyrick Brown

RETIRING president, Tom Phillips, Ty Mawr chaired the annual general meeting of the Holstein UK (South Wales club) held at the Wolfscastle Country Hotel, near Haverfordwest when satisfactory reports on a busy year were well received from various officials including Huw Evans (secretary) and Nicola Evans (treasurer).

Mr Phillips was succeeded as president by John Evans, Maesyrafon herd with Paul Williams, Walliswood as president elect.

Wyn Jones, Feithy was elected chairman to succeed Iwan Morgan with Lynley Griffiths, Fenni herd as vice-chairman.

A family run award winning dairy herd at Rhydygors Farm, Talog, Carmarthenshire – located 900 foot above sea level -scooped top awards in an annual competition organised by the club on behalf of Holstein UK.

Glyn and Myrtle Davies -in a family partnership with their son, Tomos –were awarded the Gowertonian trophy for high far and protein across their cow family and an exceptional range of trophies for outstanding cows and youngstock in their well established milking herd of 325 cows and heifers and carry around 230 youngstock.

Housed all year round and mechanically fed a balanced ration the herd’s average production, for the year ending September 2015, was 12,109kg at 3.92% butterfat and 3.21% protein.

Yields have increased during the past few years due to consistent feeding and a switch to three-times-a-day milking that saw milk yields rise by 20% in cows and 30% in heifers – this meant that they could still increase output from their 200 acres and 160 acres of rented land.

The herd’s daily feed ration includes a custom blend mixed with grass silage, caustic-treated wheat, fat, minerals and buffers –all producing animals are fed the same with just 1kg of concentrate fed in parlour at each milking.

Eifion and Mary Jones, Feithy herd received the Midland Bank prize in the cow family section and Elwyn, Cheryl and Anwen Thomas, Gatrog accepted the Malrick tray in recognition of gaining the most show points.

Awards:

Gowertonian trophy – G, M and T Davies, Rhydygors (Ballythomas G Lar Thistle Ex 91), res – P, B and B Williams, Clyncoch (Walliswood Shottle Flora 25 Ex 91).

Midland Bank trophy – E and M Jones & Son, Cilfeithy (Feithy Glenys), res – J and M Evans, (Maesyrafon Candice).

Malrick Tray – E, C and A Thomas, Gelligatrog, res – P, B and B Williams,

Production competitions:

Herds, large – G, M and T Davies, Rhydygors; medium – Walliswood, res – Feithy.

Senior cow – G, M and T Davies, Rhydygors Shottle Louise 3 rd Ex90, res – N and R Roberts, Dulais (Willsbro Shottle Amada Ex95).

Heifer – G, M and T Davies, Rhydygors Gerard Ida VG85 and res – Rhydygors Gerard Sunshine VG87.

Junior cow – G, M and T Davies, Rhydygors (Romper Louise 2 Ex91) and res – (Rhydygors Norma VG 88).

AI – G, M and T Davies, Rhydygors (Shottle Louise 3 rd Ex 90), res – N and R Roberts, Dulais (Willsbro Shottle B G Amada Ex95).