Mark Logan named president-elect of Holstein UK at AGM

Mark has carved a distinguished career in dairy farming and pedigree cattle breeding. He has been involved with British Friesian and Holstein cattle for more than fifty years, and is well-known and highly respected throughout the United Kingdom, Ireland and further afield.

An experienced cattle man, Mark has judged Holstein and Jersey cattle and interbreed classes, at numerous leading agricultural shows and events, including the AgriScot, Royal Welsh Show, Great Yorkshire Show, Royal Highland Show and Royal Cornwall Show. In 2023 Mark had the honour of judging the Diageo All-Ireland Bailey’s Dairy Cow Championship, held at Virginia Show.

His career at the privately-owned Clandeboye Estate has spanned more than three decades. Starting out as a herdsman at the Clandeboye Herd in 1991, Mark was promoted to the position of farm manager within twelve months, and has been Estate Manager since 2020.

When Mark joined Clandeboye the British Friesian herd was yielding an average of 4,000L, but with his knowledge and management skills the yield quickly doubled to 8,000L per cow per year. A grading-up program was introduced and several females were imported from Canada.

Over the years the Holstein herd has improved genetically and the 70-cow herd’s yield has increased to over 10,000L per cow at 4.5% butterfat and 3.3% protein. The Clandeboye Jersey Herd was founded in 2000, and is currently averaging 6.500L at 5.39% butterfat and 3.95% protein.

The herd has been classifying since 1995, and has gained two Master Breeder Awards (2008 and 2019).

Mark was delighted to win the Holstein UK Premier Herd Award in 2007. The Clandeboye prefix has also chalked up numerous Holstein and Jersey championship, and interbreed dairy titles in the showring.

The Clandeboye Yoghurt brand was introduced in the early 2000’s to add value to its milk in the wake of tumbling prices. From humble beginnings processing 300 litres of milk weekly, the Clandeboye brand has grown significantly, and is now widely available in major supermarkets throughout NI, and several leading stores in ROI and GB. Today, all milk produced on-farm is processed in a purpose-built factory on the estate.

An anaerobic Digester was constructed in 2016, which utilises silage and all of the slurry produced by the dairy herd. The estate produces all the energy needed for the dairy unit and the factory, with the remainder sold to the national grid.

With Mark at the helm, the Clandeboye Estate’s business model represents self-sufficiency and sustainability. The dairy herd plays an integral part in the overall business, and should contribute to the long-term future for the farm, the estate and its employees.

Currently serving a three-year-term on the Holstein NI committee, Mark is as past chairman of Holstein NI (2005-06). He is a vice-president of the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society and awarded a fellowship of CARAS (Council for Awards of Royal Agricultural Societies) in 2023.

Mark is also a tremendous ambassador for Holstein NI and over the years he has been a master judge and mentor for members of the Northern Ireland HYB.

Holstein NI is also pleased to announce that Iain McLean from the Priestland Herd at Bushmills was elected as a society trustee at last week’s AGM. He joins Wallace Patton from the Greenisle Herd at Newtownards, who was elected to the board last year. Club member Wallace Gregg, Frocess Herd, Glarryford, retired from a one-year term as chairman, after representing Northern Ireland as a trustee for seven years.