Dairy show is the 'Miss Ireland' of our cow herd

For more than three decades, the phenomenal success of this event is evident on drawing the cream of the country's dairy stock with bumper attendances convening on the multi purpose venue.

Connoisseurs of dairy cows are in for a treat at the 32nd hosting, the event firmly recognised as the Miss Ireland of milk production, bringing together all the top Holstein and Jersey cows from all over the country.

RTE presenter of "Ear to the Ground" Darragh McCullagh will officially open the show.

Hosted by the Cork Holstein Friesian Breeders Club, the National Dairy Show is a premier event on the European circuit with trade stand and visitor enquiries from Britain, France, Holland, Germany, Italy and North America seeking to promote innovative farm accessories.

Apart from the cattle, the show is a family day out with gardening, floral arrangement exhibition, local crafts and best dressed events also on the programme. While the dairy show incorporates all aspects of dairy farming, showmanship and dairy cow classes (Holstein Friesian and Jersey) form a major part of the event, with a prize fund of €30,000 in 25 classes.

The large entry of cattle will be judged by Welsh expert Ewan Morgan who owns the well known Erie Holstein and Jersey herd.

Exhibitors bidding for the Supreme Championship at Millstreet include all the top names in Holstein Friesian breeding. The show also features the Farming Forum in the Coach Room with speakers discussing the dairy sector in Ireland and across Europe with the abolition of milk quotas in 2015.

Organisers recog¬nise the need to make the dairy show a day out for all the fam¬ily. Besides a large trade stand area there will be face-painting, a bounc¬ing cas¬tle, and many other nov¬el-ties.

The National Dairy Innovation Award returns offering inventors and companies the opportunity to promote products and services.