UK Dairy Day, the UK’s leading free-to-attend dairy event, is being held at the Telford International Centre in Telford today (Wednesday, September 11).
Established in 2014, UK Dairy Day is an event to attend for anyone connected to the dairy industry providing an opportunity to network, share knowledge, learn and do business.
This year will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the event.
The event includes the following:
- Trade stands throughout internal and external exhibition areas;
- Cattle show hosting National Shows for Ayrshire, Brown Swiss and Holstein;
- Industry panels, seminars, breed village, sharing knowledge zone and careers board;
- Practical demonstrations, such as foot trimming and knife sharpening.
Cattle shows at UK Dairy Day
This year’s cattle show judges at UK Dairy Day are as follows:
The National Holstein Show – Marcel Egli of Lucerne, Switzerland. With a wealth of judging experience behind him, Marcel has judged many shows in his home country of Switzerland along with international shows in France, Germany and Ireland and he had the honour of joining the EHRC European Judges Panel in 2022.
Marcel has worked for the breeding association, Swiss Herdbook, as a breeding advisor throughout Switzerland since 2014 and has been an official judge for Swiss Herdbook since 2017.
He is a familiar face at dairy shows across Europe and in the past, has been responsible for the show team at the well-known Swiss Holstein Farm, Ptit Coeur Holsteins.
The National Brown Swiss Show – Blaise Tomlinson. Leicestershire dairy farmer Blaise along with his wife Deborah, runs the renowned Sandyford herd comprising 200 Holsteins and 50 Ayrshires in Loughborough, Leicestershire.
They have been showing cows for nearly 40 years, and have enjoyed much success along the way winning interbreed titles at The Royal, Royal Welsh, AgriScot, Great Yorkshire and South West Dairy Show, to name just a few.
They are proud to have been premier breeders in the Ayrshire breed for five out of the last 10 years.
The National Ayrshire Show and Guernsey – Ian Collins. Ian is the owner and breeder of the Churchroyd herd after farming in partnership with his late parents.
He has been involved with the Ayrshire Society since he was 10 years old where he competed in the young members’ competitions at the Royal Show.
He is an experienced judge, sits on several breed panels, and having judged the Ayrshire calves at the National Calf Show, along with interbreed classes in the UK and overseas.
Dairy Shorthorn – Paul Harrison. Paul is a second-generation dairy farmer in Northumberland. He farms in partnership with his wife Ann. Their milking herd consists of 30 pedigree dairy Shorthorns and 50 pedigree Holsteins, calving all year round.
The Breckney Shorthorn herd was established in 1989 by Paul and Ann when they purchased a maiden heifer from the Winbrook herd. The Holstein herd was established in 1958 by Paul’s parents.
Jersey – Willie Taylor. Willie farms in the Eden Valley just on the edge of the Pennines at 750ft above sea level. He runs the Jaytee Jersey herd alongside Harras Holsteins on the 250ac farm with his nephew.
200 hogs are also lambed to sell with lambs at foot. Willie has judged many shows up and down the country, from Cumbria to Somerset, in the last 25 years.
Willie is a past chairman of the Lakes Jersey Club and a member of the Border and Lakeland Holstein Club.
