SHARING OPTIONS:
Ciara Byers pictured in the milking parlour of her family farm outside Ballyjamesduff, Co Cavan. \ Lorraine Teevan
I farm: “In Cavan with my parents Pamela and Nigel, my two younger brothers Matthew (17) and Aaron (15) and my grandfather Denzil (91) who is still quite involved in the farm. We milk 200 Holstein Friesians with 60% spring calving and 40% autumn calving.”
Farming: “The land isn’t too bad, we have a few hilly fields. There’s about 200ac and it’s mainly in one block.”
Winter milk: “We’ve always had winter milk. Growing up I didn’t know what other farmers were talking about when they said they had two months off! It’s always been Christmas morning you get up and open your presents and go and milk but we can balance the workload because so many of us have an interest in it.”