Spring dairy showcase event set for another successful year at Borderway

The event, which will take place on Saturday 12th March 2016, will be held at Borderway Exhibition Centre, and will see the cream of British dairy genetics and technology on display for the global audience it attracts.

In the short time since its inception Borderway UK Dairy Expo, with an overall prize fund of £15,000, has become the leading dairy event in the UK, and one of the top dairy cattle shows in Europe. This year there will be in the region of 350 head of cattle on display on the day, trying to secure their share from the prize fund.

The event has again attracted a record number of entries, and it is anticipated a record number of spectators. The overall Borderway UK Dairy Expo Champion of Champions is chosen from the seven breeds competing in the event.

This Expo provides an industry platform in the early part of the year to support farmers, and commercial representatives by bringing together the very best of British dairy cattle, talent from the UK dairy industry and international dairy genetics. The thousands of people who attend can visit trade stands sharing the latest developments in dairy farming practice, breeding, genetics, machinery, equipment, technology, environmental issues, livestock marketing and export opportunities.

Without a doubt a major focus of the 2016 UK Borderway Dairy Expo will be the livestock competition classes, which attract the very finest of dairy cattle from the length and breadth of the country. There are a total of 52 classes which includes the breed Championships for Red and Whites, Jersey, Brown Swiss, Ayrshire, Dairy Shorthorn, British Friesian and Holstein.

Judging the classes will be the trio if international judges; the Holstein show, Brown Swiss, British Friesians and Dairy Shorthorns is Michael Heath from Maryland in the USA. Canada’s Jeff Stephen will judge the Ayrshire, Jersey and Red and White classes. The International Dairy Youth Championships will be judged under the careful eye of David Gray of Drumtall Farm near Glasgow.

David Pritchard, event organiser and operations director for Harrison and Hetherington, said: “This event has become the premiere dairy event in the UK, both from in terms of exhibitors and the trade stands it attracts. This year we have a tremendous line up of judges, all specialists in their field and all esteemed members of the international dairy industry from across the world.”

Borderway UK Dairy Expo has a reputation for encouraging the next generation of the dairy industry, and does so with the Dairy Showmanship Youth Championships. This championship will be contested by young breeders from across the UK and Europe.

Commenting in advance of the event David Gray the Dairy Showmanship Youth Championships judge said: “I am absolutely delighted to have been asked to judge at the 2016 show, as I know the young breeders that exhibit at the Expo are some of the very best in Europe. I have actually attended Dairy Expo as an exhibitor every year and it has been a pleasure to see it grow from strength to strength, and to now be known as one of the best dairy events in Britain. On the day I will be looking for a young handler that has the ability to know their animal’s faults and correct them to the best of their capability.”

This year will be the second year that the Total Dairy Expo technical dairy conference will be taking place in conjunction with Borderway UK Dairy Expo. Returning to the North on Friday 11th March, the conference will be held at The Shepherds Conference Centre adjacent to Borderway Mart. From 10am to 4.30pm there will be a host of dairy industry experts speaking about the industry, they will include:

* James Breen, The University of Nottingham – ‘Mastitis Control – An evidence based approach to selective dry cow therapy.’

* John Cook from Valley Agriculture Software – ‘An approach to dairy herd reproduction management.’

* Will Tulley, EBVC – ‘Practical solutions for improved milk quality.’

* Nick Bell, Royal Veterinary College – Who will be running a ‘Foot trimming discussion panel’ with three foot trimmers.

* Iwan Thomas, Holstein UK – ‘Breeding for function not fashion.’

Julia Moorhouse from event organisers EBVC, explains that TotalDairy Expo is designed to provide practical take home messages for farmers.

She said: “All of the speakers at TotalDairy Expo will be delivering practical advice that can be implemented on farm. They will be covering five key topics, relevant to all dairy businesses.”

Once again Borderway UK Dairy Expo 2016 is being supported by seven mainline sponsors: Holstein UK, CIS, Clydesdale Bank, Norbrook, Farmers Guardian, Carrs Billington and new this year World Wide Sires.

Laura Tattersfield, territory manager Norbrook, said: “Norbrook are delighted to support the UK Dairy Expo and are excited to be attending once again as mainline sponsor. Times are tough in the dairy sector, and it is important to have events such as UK Dairy Expo to bring the industry together and to offer insights into new technologies. We would like to encourage farmers to come and talk to us about how cost effective solutions from Norbrook can help their business.”

David Pritchard, commenting on the important role that the sponsors play at the event, said: “The sponsors we have secured for Borderway UK Dairy Expo are all major players in the dairy industry. Without their support over the years since we started the event, it certainly wouldn’t be the success that it is today. Without their help there would not be this key event in the spring for the dairy industry, and it would not be able to continue to exceed our expectations year on year.”

He continued: “Our location in Carlisle and the excellent facilities at Borderway Exhibition Centre puts us in the perfect position to attract the very best competitors from the UK’s main dairy producing areas. The event was incredibly well represented last year and as a result of the very high standard of entries across all of the classes was a truly exceptional show, which we expect to top this year.”

There will be in excess of 100 trade stands at Borderway UK Dairy Expo, and they are always a major draw for the international audience on the day. They display the very latest in industry technologies, and this year they are welcoming a number of new stands exhibiting for the first time this year which include:

* Boehringer Ingelheim Ltd

* Cattle Genie Ltd

* De Boer Housing Systems

* Eco Environments Ltd t/a Barden Renewables Ltd

* NW resources

* Plantmec Ireland Ltd

For more information about Borderway UK Dairy Expo please visit www.harrisonandhetherington.co.uk, entrance to the event is free of charge. For anyone wishing to attend the TotalDairy Expo technical dairy conference taking place on Friday 11th March 2016 please visit www.totaldairy.com.