A NEW breed record of £10,800 for a baby calf was achieved at the Ayrshire Cattle Society's annual conference in South Wales, when a three-month-old heifer sold to a syndicate of three breeders.

The calf, Rhos Pamelas Hunny ET, a February 2018-born Hunnington Mandella daughter, is out of the Ex95 3E Haresfoot Simply Red Pamela, which was originally sold for 5100gns at the Haresfoot dispersal in 2011. Consigned by Phil and Lorenza Reed of the Rhos herd, Cardigan, Wales, she was knocked down to G Lawrie and Sons of the Brieryside herd from Monkton, Ayr; Michael Howie, of the Morwick herd from Northumberland and James McAlister, Bruchag, Bute.

Mr Howie also bought the second top priced lot at £3500. This was the 12-month-old Gwynnog Oblique Punchy, from Geraint Thomas, Carmarthen. The breeding behind this heifer includes Hilltown Oblique on to the Ex94 4E classified Haresfoot Napier Punch.

Embryos sold to £400 each for Blaise Tomlinson’s consignment of four Sandyford Maple Clover X Celandine First Lord which sold to Brent Crothers, Pulverbatch, Shrewsbury.

* At the AGM, Keith Davidson who farms at Halmyre, Castle Douglas, was elected new president of the Ayrshire Cattle Society.

Keith, his wife Jane and son Colin, run 200 cows with a rolling average of 8295kg at 4.12%BF and 3.30%P on twice a day milking through a Delaval 18:18 parlour. Cows are fed a TMR and topped up to yield in the parlour. From April to September low yielding cows are grazed in rotation on a paddock system, with fresh and high yielding cows grazed during the day from May to September.

The Halmyre herd consists of a mixture of pure Ayrshire, hybrid and Red and White Holstein sires to achieve their goal in breeding replacement heifers that are an improvement on the previous generations, both in terms of type and production.

Alongside the farm Jane makes Glen Urr Ice Cream using the milk and cream produced by the herd. Ice Cream is retailed through the family’s business, The Toffee Shop, in Castle Douglas, as well as hotels, restaurants and events.