Belgian Blue cross heifer takes over-wintering top prize

This weekend’s Young Farmers over-wintering competition saw the top prize go to a Belgian Blue cross heifer, shown by Deerness’s Inga Kemp.

The competition, which is in its second year, sees young farmers around the county buy an animal between August and October, the year ahead of the show, and compete to raise the best animal. The judge for this year’s competition was Thomson Wilson, from Aberdeenshire.

Ms Kemp, from Greenhall, bought the 24-month-old animal, that went on to take the title of champion over-wintered animal, from Liam Muir, of Upper Onston, Stenness, last year for £1090 at a weight of 435kg. At the competition, which was held in Sunday evening, the animal weighed in at 670kg.

The heifer was bought for £2700 by the competition sponsor Northlink Ferries, at a special sale at Orkney Auction Mart yesterday morning.

The reserve overall champion at the competition went to a British Blue steer shown by Garry Hamilton, of Gorn, Harray, which was bred at Housebay Farms, Stronsay.

Prizes were also given at the competition for highest average daily weight gain, best young handler and highest differential buying to selling price.