Top bulls selected at Fermoy conference
The winning bulls, rated 20% to 70% for reliability, were: Lisduff Manfred ET, EBI 205, bred by John O’Sullivan, Lisduff, Whitechurch, Co Cork; Ballydehob Justice, EBI 187, bred by Robert and Shirley Shannon, Gurteenakilla, Ballydehob, Co Cork; Garrymartin Keet, EBI 184, bred by John O’Sullivan, Knocknalyre, Blarney, Co Cork; Shine Dano, EBI 178, bred by Donald Bateman, Knockane, Ballylooby Cahir Co Tipperary; Ballivor Mango, EBI 176, bred by Richard Feeney, Glack, Ballivor, Co Meath and Barrowvale Martell 12, EBI 176, bred by Michael Dempsey, James-town, Ballybrittas, Co Laois.
There were awards also for the top data recording herds.
They went to: 150-plus cows category – Thomas Allen, Knockane, Riverstick, Co Cork; Michael Bateman, Knockanroe, Crookstown, Co Cork and Lexie Borland, Raththurlas, Nenagh, Co Tipperary.
In the 80 to 150 cows category – Michael Everard, Fortfield, Moyne, Thurles, Co Tipperary; Eamon Coughlan, Killemera, Glanworth, Co Cork; John O’Sullivan, Ballywilliam, Kinsale, Co Cork.
In the less-than-80-cows category – Donnacha Tobin, Curradarra, Aglish, Cappoquin, Co Waterford; Tomás Mahony, Coolroe, Old Parish, Dungarvan, Co Waterford and Bertie O’Connor, Urrohogal, Currans, Farranfore, Killarney, Co Kerry.
The €10,000 first prize in the EBI discussion group competition was won jointly by the Damer group in the midlands and the Crookstown group in Co Cork. More than 1,000 members of 74 dairy discussion groups participated in this competition.
Co Tipperary’s 11 groups won a €5,000 prize for the busiest discussion group county.
They respectively averaged 766kg and 770kg of milk solids per hectare sold per member.
