More than 7000 visitors attended UK Dairy Day at the International Centre, Telford – the first dairy event to take place since March 2020 – which attracted no fewer than 170 cattle from six breeds and a packed line-up of 230 trade stands.

With National breed shows for the Ayrshire, Brown Swiss, Guernsey and Holstein breeds, along with classes for Dairy Shorthorns and Jerseys, the event was packed to the brim from the outset.

Cattle were forward from as far afield as Forres, Inverness to Penzance, Cornwall, with an equally prestigious line-up of judges on hand.

The Holstein section attracted the biggest entry, with breed judge, David Booth, presenting the supreme to Mark Nutsford's home-bred third calver, Riverdane Absolute Springsteen from Cheshire. Inter-breed heifer champion at the 2019 UK Dairy Day and reserve intermediate at the 2020 Dairy Expo, she was paraded four months calved and is currently yielding 65kg.

An extremely successful day for Riverdane Holsteins throughout, the herd also landed the coveted Holstein UK Premier Exhibitor and Premier Breeder awards.

Mr Nutsford was back in the tickets winning the reserve Holstein heifer honours with 5Guys Blexy Black Raptor, from the 5 Guys partnership comprising Mr Nutsford, Middlewich, Tom Lomas, Middlewich, Richard Lloyd, Anglesey, Ron Tomkinson, Leek, and Mike Roberts, Shrewsbury. The heifer by Blondin Raptor is out of the world champion Holstein, Rosiers Blexy Goldwyn and was paraded giving 40kg a day.

Reserve Holstein was the fifth calver, Aliann Atwood Roxette, from David and Claire Jones, Gwent, Nick and Louisa Sercombe, Leicestershire and Rob Kirk, Melton Mowbray. Honourable mention here in 2019, she was purchased at the Holgate family's Aliann herd sale for 6000gns and is based in the Jones' Wiltor herd.

Heifer champion was the Wilson family's Evening Sidekirk Jennifer from Evening Hill Farms, Carlisle. A daughter of Walnutlawn Sidekick, out of Evening Stanleycup Jennifer, she calved in March and is currently giving 45kg a day. She was also reserve Holstein and junior champion at the Great Yorkshire Show in July.

Philip, James and Frank Mattinson of the Troutbeck herd from Wigton, led the National Ayrshire show winning both the champion and reserve titles.

Their supreme was the previously unshown, Troutbeck Skyfall Peony Rose, a fourth calver giving 50kg per day having calved down in May. A daughter of Troutbeck Skyfall, she is bred from the Ex93 Troutbeck Bookmaker Penny Rose. Reserve was Troutbeck Burdette Jess 3, a seventh calver by Palmyra Tri-Star Burdette, giving 40kg a day after calving in April.

Adding to the celebrations, the family also bagged the reserve heifer ticket with Troutbeck Burdette Jess 3.

A VG86 heifer that calved in May and is giving 32kg per day, landed the Ayrshire heifer championship for Michael Howie, Morpeth, Northumberland. His previously unshown girl, Morwick Gwen 35, is by Willhome Pams Horizon and out of Morwick Gwen 29.

Flying the flag for Scotland, Jonny Lochhead, Dumfries, bagged both the champion and reserve titles amongst the Brown Swiss with home-bred females. His champion, Kedar Shut Up And Dance With Me, a second calver that gave 9200kg in her first, was second at the All Breed All Britain Calf Show, and is by Voelkers TD Carter. Her dam is Kedar Spots Shenanigans.

Runner up was the Ex97 Kedar Calvin Sanchia Maria, a sixth calver by Vetsch’s Nesta Calvin that was grand champion at the 2016 UK Dairy Day and honourable mention here last year. She gave 11,483kg in her last lactation and is bred from the noted imported Swiss show cow, Old Mill Starbuck Spottie.

Ian Collins and Partners, Dewsbury, continued on their winning ways in the Dairy Shorthorns, winning the breed title with the inter-breed dairy champion from the Great Yorkshire, Churchroyd Bronte Wildeyes 51 VG86. This third calver is by the Australian sire Treeton Pingerley, and out of Churchroyd Bronte Wildeyes 39, a former champion winner here in 2016 and 2017.

Reserve was RD Kite and Son's Cotonhall Butternut Sapphire, from Stone. Their Ex92-classified fourth calver, is by Blackwood Park Butternut, and was reserve champion here in 2019. Her dam is the Ex93 Cotonhall Sapphire 6.

The breed leader from 2019 was back to claim the Jersey championship for the Wilson family's Tregibby herd from Cardigan. This was Bluegrass Sams Dreaming, a seventh calver bred by Barry and Jenny Daw, Hertfordshire. She calved at the end of July and is giving 35kg a day.

Reserve was Rivermead Minx Candy, from the Davis family, Tiverton, Devon. This heifer in milk on her first outing is by Stgonyrun Aus TBone Minx AJBS and out of the Ex94 Rivermead Joel Candy

The New Product competition, featured eight innovative products launched onto the market since August 1, 2020, was won by InVent from ADF Milking Limited, with Abbi Aerotech BV’s Dairyfan: Abbifan 140-XXP-21 receiving highly commended and a judge’s special mention was given to Holm and Laue for Inline BRIX Sensor Automatic Calffeeder.

Sue Cope, Holstein CEO and UK Dairy Day event director, said: “I am delighted that we were able to host UK Dairy Day after 18 months of uncertainty. I have been overwhelmed with the positive support and reaction from the industry to make the event happen. The pandemic has highlighted the important role dairy farmers have in food production and this event provided the opportunity to network, learn and socialise.”

“Finally I would like to acknowledge the excellent support received from the industry enabling this year’s event to take place," added Ms Cope who was also awarded the Howard Sneesby Memorial Trophy for her life-long commitment to the National Holstein Show.