Andrew wins top Holstein honours.

Berwickshire dairy farmer Andrew Hodge won the Northumbria Holstein Breeders Club large herd competition for the second year running.

His Cheviotview Holstein herd, which was established from scratch after he lost his previous herd during the foot-and-mouth epidemic, was named top herd on inspection by judge Robert Steel, of the Keppculloch herd, and also won the large herd class.

Mr Hodge farms at Rulesmains, Duns, with his wife Gill and his daughters Emma and Jayne. He received his prize at the club's annual general meeting.

Peter Hall, of Ashtree Farm, East Heddon, won the small herd and most improved herd classes with his Ashpetall herd.

Mr Hall, who farms with his wife Vivian, also lost his herd during the foot-and-mouth outbreak, and he decided to go for quality not quantity when he restocked.

His herd, which now numbers 60 cows, was built up with cows purchased from the Genus herd and the Lavenham herd, in Essex.

And the emphasis on quality has paid off, with the herd expected to average almost 10,000 litres per cow this year. All the milk is sold to Dairy Farmers of Great Britain.

RESULTS

Large herds: 1 T & A. Hodge (Cheviotview), 2 E. Moffitt & Son (Hunday), 3 Bays Leap Dairy Farm (Baysleap).

Small herds: 1 J.P.Hall (Ashpetall), 2 G & DWJ Clark (Fleetshott), 3 G & H Bradley (Langpark).

Progeny group: 1 E Moffitt & Son, TCET Lyster, 2 T & A Hodge, STBVQ Rubens, 3 RW Dixon, Shoremar Milan.

Cow on inspection: 1 G & DWJ Clark, Fleetshott Vision Katrina, 2 RMRS & L Douglas, Newheaton Lord Lily Cleo, 3 G & H Bradley, Langpark Formation Faenza.

Supercow: E Moffitt & Son, Ansa Basar Linda.

Heifer on production and inspection: 1 RMRS & L Douglas, Newheaton Meadowlord Joy, 2 E Moffitt & Son, Hunday Coni Toni, 3 T & A Hodge, Lillyhall Dixie Rolls.

Heifer on inspection: 1 S & A Oliver, Aldingham SM Ghost, 2 JP Hall, Ashpetall Ruben Annie, 3 DM Sutherland, Ellenneff Tulip Quality 11.

Cow family: 1 S Ball, Gracious family, 2 G & H Bradley, Impala family, 3 RW Dixon, Mary family.

Mature Cow: 1 T & A Hodge, Cleevale Charles Mania, 2 E Moffitt & Son, Ansa Basar Linda, 3 EC Spence & Sons, Linlake Rudolph Tina.

Top herd on production: Bays Leap Dairy Farm (Baysleap).

Most improved herd: J.P.Hall (Ashpetall). Top herd on inspection: T & A Hodge (Cheviotview).

Herd person of the year: Thomas Tiffin.