Genus ABS Long Life Cow Competition 2009

And the winner is...

Empingham Anne 6

Empingham Anne 6

Brian, Charlie, Jimmy and Joanne Harrison receiving the cup for the 2009 Long Life Cow Competition, presented by Mark Smith of Genus ABS

Owned by Brian and Joanne Harrison from Armathwaite in Cumbria, Anne 6 becomes the first winner of the Genus ABS Long Life Cow Award, a new competition created to celebrate those cows who have made an outstanding lifetime contribution.

Empingham Anne 6 was one of 80 cows purchased by Brian and Joanne from the Empingham herd near Oakham, Rutland.  Born on 31st October 1992 and sired by F16 Rocket, her lifetime yield is 143,157kg with over 11 tonnes of fat and protein, and she is in her fifteenth lactation.  Her average calving interval is 367 days with a lifetime average cell count of 52.

Still running with the main herd and scanned in calf for the sixteenth time, she had six daughters in the herd and is classified EX94 points and is a three star brood cow.  One of her daughters has a lifetime yield of 108 tonnes of milk and is classified as EX92.

Herd yields currently stand at 11,880 kg at 3.7% fat and 3.1% protein and last year the herd was ranked equal second in the NMR Annual Production Report. 

"Anne has proven herself to be a star in the herd and shows no signs of giving up.  With three daughters still milking, her legacy will be within the herd for years to come," comments Brian Harrison.

Overall the competition attracted over 120 entries, averaging 10.5 lactations each and producing on average 88,600 litres of milk.  The total lifetime yield of those cows entered amounts to over 10 million litres of milk.

Empingham Anne 6 was selected as the national winner from four regional finalists.  The other regional finalists were:

• Broadford Fannie 199, a 13th lactation cow with a lifetime yield of 116,555kg owned by HCC Francis and Sons from Broadford, West Sussex
• Oxlynch Lynn, an 18 years old Guernsey currently in her 15th lactation who has produced over 94,000 litres and is owned by Mr A Payling from Standish in Gloucestershire
• Ballydrum Celsius Betty, owned by K and R Woolsey from Troombridge, Northern Ireland, is in her tenth lactation and has already produced 98,500kg.

"I think the competition amply demonstrates that the modern dairy cow is capable of outstanding production while maintaining good levels of reproduction and withstanding disease threats.  It also showcases the exceptional levels of stockmanship on UK dairy farms.  A cow won't last this long without top quality and skilled staff taking an active interest in her well-being," says Mark Smith, chief Judge.