New president of Hereford Breed Society enthusiastic about future
Mr Jacob said: “Today’s Hereford breed has made an important contribution to ensuring Irish farms make profits. As a herd sire in the dairy or suckler herd, the breed has few rivals for ease of calving, docility, fertility, and the ability to produce profitable beef with moderate inputs.”
The new IHBS president said that the Hereford is the ideal carcass size and fits the specification of supermarkets and butchers. He is most enthusiastic about the future of the breed. The demand this year from both dairy and suckler herds has been excellent resulting in possibly the best clearance of bulls seen in recent times.
He added: “The Hereford cross dam is a supreme calf production machine, with significant benefits in calving due to adequate pelvic size, handling, and farmer safety due to docility. It also has a proven record of reliability, milk and fertility.”
A member of the IHBS council, Mr Jacob is also a director of Irish Hereford Prime Ltd. Chairman of his local South Leinster Hereford regional branch for the past five years, his farm is located in Dunsinane, Enniscorthy, Co Wexford.
Dunsinane is a low-rainfall area quite near the Blackstairs Mountains, where cattle can easily graze nine months of the year. He is the third generation to farm the family farm.
The Dunsinane herd was established by his late father, Bertie, in 1960 and has been developed in the intervening period using imported and homebred bloodlines. It is now established as one of the region’s leading herds
The focus is on producing breeding bulls for dairy and suckler beef herds. Bulls and heifers are also sought after by existing and new entrants to the breed.
A commercial suckler beef herd is run in conjunction with the pedigree herd. Mr Jacob is also an active and committed member of his local Teagasc beef discussion group.
The IHBS vice-president is Timmy O’Sullivan, Aghane Cross, Brosna, Co Kerry.
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