A HOLSTEIN dairy cow has given birth to triplets sired by a Belgian Blue bull on a South Lakes farm.

Farmer Philip Wilson, of Highgate Side Farm, Cartmel, described the birth of the three bull calves as "a rarity".

Mr Wilson, who runs the farm in partnership with his wife Janet, said: "We put the Holstein with a Belgian Blue because we sometimes struggle to get these cows in calf. The Belgian Blue is a much more potent bull, much stronger."

In recent years, trials of crossing between the Belgian Blue sire and local breed cows have been carried out. As a general rule, they reveal the superiority of the crossbred calf resulting in increased growth, feed efficiency and muscle conformation.

A Belgian Blue cross on a Holstein type dairy cow, offers a marked improvement in killing out - up to five per cent - and an increase in carcass meat yield of up to eight per cent. Veterinary experts say this benefit is not accompanied by any more calving problem than found with most other beef breeds.

Mr Wilson, who milks 65 Holsteins at Highgate Side, said: "This is the second time we've had live triplets born on the farm but they are a rarity. You can go years and years without seeing them."

Mr Wilson took over the farm in 1999. His father Michael had run it for 34 years before that.

Now he says his 17-year-old daughter Lucie is waiting in the wings to take over when he and Janet retire.