Val Ledwith with “Rathregan Boyo” born July 2015 and weighed 625kg at 12 months. He was one of the many great sons produced by the herd s stock bull “Corlismore Lad”.
He has been a strong advocate of finishing beef animals for Hereford Prime at 20-22 months. A supporter of the bonus scheme since it was launched, he points to the breed bonus and quality assurance bonus adding at least 40 c/kg to the factory returns as evidence of the scheme’s value.
He described his champion bull Bonanza as “well shaped from behind, with a very nice looking head, a good top line, well sprung in the rib and not too wide on the shoulders”, and attributes his qualities to the dams in the
Senior male champion Rathregan Bonanza.
For the last number of years the Irish Hereford Breed Society has held a very successful National Calf show in Tullamore, Co Offaly, but COVID-19 forced the calf show to move online this year.
The online show attracted over 100 entries, with 17 animals entered in one of the classes, and went down as a huge success with breeders.
This year’s judges were myself (Adam Woods), Robin Irvine (Graceland Herefords, NI) and Nigel Owens (international rugby referee and Hereford breeder, Wales).
Commenting on the quality of stock on display, Owens said: “The animals were a credit to the breeders and some of the classes proved very hard to select a winner from.