UK Hereford Youth is a dedicated organisation crafted for young Hereford enthusiasts aged between 10 and 26. The organisation allows young farmers bundles of opportunities ranging from making new friends, expanding their knowledge of the Hereford breed and enquiring new skills, all this while having a great time.
Our young farmers are the glistening beam of what’s to come, from their innovative ideas, their approach to sustainable farming and their unwavering passion to the industry, the young people are set for greatness. We thought we’d introduce you one of our young farmers who is setting the bar high for the future of Hereford farming in Northern Ireland.
Meet Robbie, Robbie farms at Magheraveely in County Fermanagh. At 21 years old, his farm extends out to 165 acres. His fast-developing business comprises of a 40-strong herd of suckler cows, a dairy calf to beef enterprise and a 50-strong flock of breeding sheep with lambs taken through to finishing.
While Robbie’s passion for farming is second to none, his ability to identity gaps in the industry within Northen Ireland has led to the fast-paced success of his farm. He recognised the need for the for breeding companies to source the Hereford genetics they need from local breeders and used this to his advantage.
Driving the demand for Hereford bloodlines in Northern Ireland is the growing recognition that the breed ticks every box when it comes to producing beef of the highest quality in the most efficient way possible.
Robbie’s farm is laid out entirely in grass. Optimal use is made of the available grazing and sileage areas.
“The development policy for the herd is centred on a three-way breed combination in equal measure: Limousin, Simmental and Hereford” Robbie Explains. “The Limousin delivers excellent conformation, the Simmental has excellent milk production potential while the Hereford guarantees the best possible growth rates from grass and silage.”
He continues “The beef industry has been told that it must secure higher levels of efficiency in order to lower its overall carbon footprint. The Hereford will play a critical role in making this happen. And increasing numbers of commercial beef finishers are already recognising this fact.”
The recognition of the Hereford breed and their benefits is rapidly growing in Northern Ireland, a testament to this came courtesy of this year’s Fermanagh County Show.
Robbie was thrilled when received an impressive second place in the heifer class with a Saler-cross heifer, bred from a pedigree Hereford cow.
Whilst this demand has been growing, Northern Ireland’s former farm minister Poots Edwin Poots has made it very clear he wants to see a ‘genetic revolution’ taking place within the beef sector.
Robbie believes Hereford breeding stock will make all of this happen.
He explains: “Key to the breed is the tremendous selection of bloodlines within it. As a result, there are breeding bulls available that can meet the needs of dairy and suckler farmers in equal measure, but the over-riding advantage of the breed is the ability of cattle to finish off grass at an early age plus the superb quality of the beef they produce.”
He strongly believes that the Hereford are excellent at making use of the grassland they have available. The cattle are unique in achieving very high daily growth rates while also producing beef of an exceptional quality.
He concludes: “The Hereford breed has a lot to offer the beef industry in Northern Ireland. And the scope to increase numbers is significant.
To wrap up the article about Robbie and his successful farming practices, we can emphasize the broader implications of his work and his role as an example for others in the industry. Here’s a possible conclusion:
Robbie’s dedication to farming and his strategic approach to breeding are not just driving his own success, but also setting a new standard for the beef industry in Northern Ireland. By leveraging the unique strengths of the Hereford breed, he’s proving that efficiency and quality can go hand in hand. His achievements at the Fermanagh County Show and his proactive response to the call for a ‘genetic revolution’ underline his forward-thinking mindset.
As the demand for Hereford genetics continues to rise, Robbie’s farm stands at the forefront of this transformation, demonstrating the untapped potential of local breeding. His story is not just about one farmer’s success; it’s about the future of sustainable beef production in Northern Ireland. As more farmers adopt similar practices, the industry is poised to make significant strides in efficiency, quality, and environmental sustainability. Robbie’s farm is more than a business—it’s a blueprint for the future of farming in Northern Ireland.
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