Cream of the Irish dairy crop go on parade
This 3.45% protein producer is typical of the cream of the Irish dairy industry crop, which will parade before a Canadian judge looking for Ireland’s best show cows.
Dairy farmers and their families from all over Ireland will visit the Green Glens indoor arena in the North Cork town to get up to date with genetic and other trends in dairying, and to take in the show of 100 trade stands.
They will also take pride in the fast maturing Irish dairy industry, which now takes awards throughout Europe for the quality of its cows.
And more and more of these cows are home bred, rather than from imported semen.
The exhibitor of the best cow of the show on Saturday week will take home the Irish Examiner Farming Supreme Championship trophy. Among the top contenders will be Baileys Irish Cow champion Monashee Leo Lady; the Powers Gold Label Tullamore National Livestock Show champion, Creva Formation Judy; RDS champion Ballyboy Juror Carmen; and the Millstreet champion of 1999, Dalevalley Stevenson. But they will have to beat the best in Europe to win because Co Cork breeder Peter Kingston, a multiple champion exhibitor here in previous years, has entered Quintana Melissa Grand, his grand champion of Italy’s Verona show earlier this year.
The ultimate decision will be down to show judge, John Buckley of Salem Holsteins, Ontario, Canada. He has judged in the World Expo in Madison, Wisconsin and the Winter Fair in Canada.
