YEARS of careful breeding saw a Stokesley farming family win a major dairy award this week when Donaldson Partners of Viewley Hill, Busby, took the supreme county championship in the Yorkshire County Milk Recording herd competitions 2003.

Graham Donaldson and his wife, Elizabeth, collected the trophy, and six others, at the annual awards dinner at The Millstones, Felliscliffe, on Monday night.

In taking the county championship Mr Donaldson, and his brothers Howard and Paul, repeated a success their father, John, achieved some 15 years ago.

The brothers run the 680-acre mixed family farm in partnership. They have a 90-cow pure Holstein herd, founded by their grandfather in the Forties.

Mr Donaldson was thrilled with their success and said it was down to the breeding policies they had always followed. "We look for good type with very good legs and udders," he said. "We have bought in pure, imported Canadian families and mixed them with our own best families."

Among their trophies in the Holstein small herds section was the best cow cup for Barlees Kathy 115, the Kathy family originating from their father's purchases, and the best heifer cup for Barlees Bluebell 6, which was champion at Stokesley show. The brothers also won the trophy for that section's bull progeny group through Duregal Astre Starbuck.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding milk they have begun plans for expansion. "We put up a new shed this summer and hope to increase the herd size to 120," said Mr Donaldson, who said they would struggle if they did not expand.

The herd average is 9,500 litres on twice-daily milking, which Graham and Paul do.

"Yields are still going up and we should achieve 10,000 litres plus by this time next year," said Mr Donaldson. "We have put in out-of-parlour feeders and every year, through breeding, the cows give that bit more."

The Donaldsons sell their milk to Arla - formerly Express Dairies - and have increased their quota to just under 1m litres.

Metcalfe Farms of Washfold Farm, Leyburn, were also highly succesful; they, too, won seven awards, this time in the large Holstein herd section.

Brothers David, Brian and Philip farm with father, John, and have a total of 550 cows with a herd average of 9,700 litres.

Their haul of trophies included cups for the best cow with Washfold Dairymaid 31; the bull progeny group from Ked Juror; the best cows and heifers, and the management inspection class.

In the Ayrshire classes, G B Stevenson and Sons of Blue House farm, Liverton, near Saltburn, won four of the six trophies and were runner up for the other two. Liverton Cherub was best cow and the Pearl Family was the best cow family. Best heifer was Liverton Lobelia and Anderlini's Willy Boy won the bull progeny group.

John Hayward of Tuxford, Nottingham, took four of the six Dairy Shorthorn trophies and J L Shaw & Son of Grey Leys Farm, Elvington, near York, won three Jersey trophies, including that for the cow family (Greyleys Hightide); the bull progeny group by Sooner Centurion, and the cows and heifers cup.

Organisers were delighted with the success of the evening and the increased entries, particularly in the Jersey and Dairy Shorthorn classes. About 170 attended the presentations