Three titles in a row for show’s supreme dairy champion

The champion dairy cow at the show came from a herd which has been dramatically reduced in size because of the recent low milk prices.

Designer Outside Bonheur, a Holstein from Norton's Farm at Radley Green, near Chelmsford in Essex, won the interbreed title for best dairy female.

Having already won titles at the Suffolk and South of England shows, the second-calver has now won all three competitions she has ever entered.

Peter Prior, who jointly owns the animal with Cat Moody, said his Royal Norfolk Show champion was one of only three milking cows at a farm where there used to be much larger commercial herd before the crash in dairy prices.

'We used to milk 250 cows, but the milk price got so bad we sold up and went out of cows altogether – but the idea was that we would have 12 or 15 animals as a hobby.

'Actually our livestock total is about 40 now, including cows and calves – but only three are in milk.

'We keep a few cows for ourselves, but we don't produce milk commercially any more. I would say she (Designer Outside Bonheur) is a well-balanced cow, with a fantastic udder. That is her strongest point. She is doing over 50 litres a day.'