The top producing two year old in the Ayrshire breed for the 2008/09 season sold for a breed record price of $19,500 to a syndicate made up of all 9 Board members of Ayrshire New Zealand. Bred by Lodore Farms Ltd, Okaihau, Lodore Phils Snowie, VHC, was purchased by Colleen Vincent as a rising two year old at the 2008 Lodore Annual Sale for $5,600. As a 2 year old she produced 7777 litres milk, 391 kg fat, 283 kg protein (674 kg milksolids) in 305 days. In the current season to date she has produced 7212 litres milk, 375 kg fat, 257 kg protein (632 kg milksolids) in 198 days. Her indexes are impressive at BW 245, PW 427 and LW 578. Snowie is sired by Sanrosa Royal Phillip, whose progeny have been much sought after at sales this season.
Two of her daughters also achieved record prices for the breed in their age groups. Karnea Jebbs Snow, BW 176, an in-calf heifer sired by Lodore Keikko Jebb, sold for $8,700 to John & Deirdre Instone of Kaitangata. Karnea Lads Snuggles, BW 146, a rising yearling heifer sired by Valendale Laguner, sold for $10,200 to Fairleigh Dairy Farm Ltd, Gore.
Valendale Darnaleen, B, who as a 2 year old in the 2008/09 season set a new 2 year old heifer milk yield record of 8363 litres, sold for $10,600 back to Valendale Ayrshires. Darnaleen had originally been purchased from Valendale as a yearling for $6,600 at the Valendale Sale. Sired by Ferdon Knights Lancer, Darnaleen has produced 8187 litres milk, 334 kg fat, 281 kg protein (615 kg milksolids) in 238 days this season. Her sale price of $10,600 is the third top price for an Ayrshire cow on record.
The Dispersal sale average of $2310 over 87 lots is the third highest dispersal average on record for the Ayrshire breed, and the cow average of $2739 is the fourth highest on record. It is interesting to note that all averages that surpass this were set in 2008, when cow prices peaked following a record milk payout.
Colleen Vincent and Bill King joined the Association in 2008. They have since been regulars at many of the local sales, selectively purchasing cattle for their small herd of 68, milked off an effective platform of 10 ha. Colleen has been involved with farming most of her life, only more recently with Ayrshires. Bill has had a long history with the breed, following in the footsteps of both his father and grandfather. L V King founded Rivervale Ayrshires in 1925, and his son Len founded Lenoch Ayrshires in the 1940's. In his turn, Bill founded Kingsway Ayrshires in the 1970's and experienced success with both showing and bull breeding. Lenoch Candy Girl, Exc, won the North Island Ayrshire Championship for Bill in three consecutive years in the mid 1980's, and the well-known bull Kingsway Casanova ET was bred by Bill in 1989.
