Paula Hynes: Celebrating a calf poo

There is a saying in farming that where there is livestock, there is dead stock. Sometimes animals die, and we as farmers feel they shouldn’t have, but when we come across an animal like little Pat, which is fighting to survive, we give it our best shot and give it all the help in the world.

The little premature calf was straight away christened little Pat after our vet Pat from Coolcower Vets. Picture: Paula Hynes

An early evening milking on Friday with the calves fed, it was a quick change of clothes as we headed to the IHFA All-Ireland Awards in Portlaoise. It was our first time attending the awards and we had three nominations. 

We had two heifers nominated in one category for heifers born after the June 1, 2024, with Rathard Sidekick Jagerbomb winning the All-Ireland Champion award and Sizzler Rompen Rouge Red ET taking the HM award.