Border Charolais Club Suckler Herd of the Year Awards
03/02/05

Cumbrian beef producers were to the fore in the annual Border Charolais Club/Pfizer Suckler Herd of the Year Award. The best small herd award was made again to last year's winner Paul Stobart who runs a 65 cow herd at Scalehouses End Farm, Renwick, near Penrith.

Paul Stobart - best small herd

Andrew Sutton of Netherhouse Farm, Longsledale, Kendal was in second place in the small herds section, while the award for the leading stock bull went to Mowbraypark Northend who is jointly owned by Andrew Jefferson, Aspatria Hall, Aspatria and Robbie and Marion Jackson, Seaville, Silloth. Each of the winners received Dectomax™ Pour On and Crystalyx blocks.

The overall herd of the year award went for the second consecutive year to Northumberland beef producers, Willie, Judith and Mark Longlands whose Charolais cross calves from their 145 cow herd, at Rusheylaw, Wark, near Hexham were highly commended for their consistency of quality. The overall reserve place went to Lewis Forster's 150 cow herd at West Nubbock, Hexham.

The two herd overall winners received British Charolais Cattle Society bull vouchers, and a cash prize from Scottish and Northern Charolais Breeders and the Shepherds Inn, while the Longlands family were also be presented with the Lynedraw Silver Salver.

Support is gaining further momentum for the initiative, the fourth of its kind to be jointly staged by the Border Charolais Club and leading animal health company, Pfizer. The herd entries which came from throughout Cumbria and Northumberland were judged by Ian and Dot Goldie of Cummertrees, Annan, on their overall quality, in particular the performance of their Charolais sired calves.

“Each of the entrants was producing fast maturing calves with quality conformation, and they were managing their herds to very high standards,” said Ian Goldie. “However it was the Longlands' herd that just had the overall edge.

Their spring and autumn calving cows and their calves were extremely consistent; the calf crops were showing typically high levels of growth and meat production and that was reflected in the fact the family is among the leading vendors at the region's suckled calf sales.”

Border Charolais Club secretary, Nora Jefferson said: “We're very pleased to have achieved such enthusiastic support for the initiative which has once again rewarded and encouraged all those in the region who are using Charolais as their herd's terminal sire to produce calves with that superior weight for age accompanied by quality conformation.

“Those high levels of performance consistently delivered by Charolais cross calves, will become even more valued by producers from next January when they seek to become more efficient and finish both their steers and heifers to target weight at the earliest age.”

Pfizer's Mark Brady said: “Pfizer is delighted with the number and quality of the suckler herd entries to the competition, and of course is pleased for the winners who will find that Dectomax Pour-On can offer long-acting parasite control late season and housing in a single treatment, and lice free cattle all winter.”