Smarden Lehar (UK)
Semen straws available exclusively in Australia through Vale Hill Farm
Lehar is from New Biddenden Green Farm in Kent in the UK and has been tested as being 60 chromosome. He is part New Biddenden Green Farm’s “L” line descended from their first British White cow Woodbastwick Lady. One of Lady’s daughter Smarden Lime is the mother of Bulby Jasmine (cow of year 2014, senior heifer of year 2013) and Bulby Lupin (junior heifer year 2014, senior heifer of the year 2015). Lehar’s dam is Smarden Lilac, a daughter of De Beauvoir Huckleberry Finn (bull of the year 2003).
Lehar’s sire was Woodbastwick Traviata, who is related to Woodbastwick Randolph Turpin. Traviata’s paternal grandsire was Castleton Hywel who is Turpin’s sire. Also Traviata’s maternal grandmother was Woodbastwick Tessa 2 who is Turpin’s mother.
For all enquiries please contact Chris Malden: chris@valehill.com.au or 0418 313 010
Statistics
Breed: British White
DOB: 28/01/2013
Tattoo: TN27 8NP
BW
WW
YW
Mature Wt
Mature Ht
Mature SC
DNA Parentage Conf
60 Chromosomes Pos
Smarden Lehar is a large good looking bull, with superb markings. He is very laid back with a fantastic temperament with both humans and other cattle. He is stylish and well balanced, with a long back. He has nice width.
Lehar (right) and Trident at around 18 months old
Genetics Certificates
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Smarden Herd History
In 1987 the Mannering family moved from Cambridgeshire to New Biddenden Green Farm in the Weald of Kent. Over the next few years they built up a heard of cattle to finish for meat, later deciding to get into cattle breeding as well.
Their British White adventure began in 1992 when Les Cook suggested the Woodbastwick Herd would be a good place to start. Woodbastwick Lady and Jilly were purchased at the East of England Show, both in calf, and the first British Whites to call New Biddenden Green Farm their home.
Woodbastwick Lady became one of the three main bloodlines in the Smarden herd. Lady, Lehar’s great grand-mother, died at the age of 14 from being struck by lightning, leaving twin three month old heifers. One of these heifers was Smarden Lime, the dam of Bulby Jasmine (heifer of the year 2013 and cow of the year 2014) and Bulby Lupin (heifer of the year 2015, junior heifer of the year 2014).
In 2003 New Biddenden Green Farm bought the bull Albany Plato (bull of year 2000 and 2002). He was the sire of Smarden Truffle by Fara and is Trident’s grandmother.
Albany Plato was replaced as store bull by De Beauvoir Huckleberry Finn in 2007 (bull of the year 2003) who is Lehar’s maternal grandsire. De Beauvoir Huckleberry Finn is also Trident’s paternal grandsire.
New Biddenden Green Farm next purchased Castleton Crimson and Charlie. Crimson went on to breed six daughters, including Smarden Saffron, their first Breed Champion who won the South of England Show as a senior heifer when they started showing in 2003.
A grandson of Crimson, Smarden Isokrates also went on to achieve honours in the show ring winning Bull of the Year 2007. He was sired by Bilko’s replacement Albany Plato. Isokrates was used alongside Plato and then De Beauvoir Huckleberry Finn.
In 1999, the herd size was increased with animals purchased from Castleton and Dallyashes herds including Dallyashes Tussy Mussy Too. Tussy’s second calf was Smarden Tussilago Fara, and her third, Fara’s full sister, Smarden Trinity being joint cow of the year in 2007. Fara is Smarden Trident’s great grand-mother and was cow of the year in 2009 and 2011. Tussy was in the herd until she was 15 and Fara at 14 is still in the herd, had twin heifer calves last summer and expecting again. One of Fara’s grand-daughter’s is Smarden Tabasco, who was cow of the year 2013 and heifer of the year 2012.
In 2009 Tollesbury Nelson was hired, this resulted in a number of good heifers, the best of which was Smarden Tabasco; she went on to be heifer of the year 2012 and cow of the year 2013.
Using these in bought in cattle has created a great base and the Smarden herd has gone on to produce generations of show winners that highlight the best aspects of the breed. New Biddenden Green Farm have breed animals with great maternal instincts and longevity, without losing what the market requires of an animal with good confirmation and fantastic meat quality. New Biddenden Green Farm currently supply animals to some of the best butchers in London with high praise all round.