Growing up on her family’s suckler farm, Katherine Buckley has always been interested in animal care. After completing her Green Cert at Gurteen Agricultural College, a local hoof trimmer was looking for some help. Katherine jumped at the opportunity to get some hands-on experience.
“I said I would do it; I knew I would love that. I started last October, working with him two days a week as his assistant, and then a bursary for the course came up. I decided to apply and I was lucky enough to get it,” she explains.
About the bursary
The Irish Cattle Foot Trimmers Association (ICFTA) was formed in December, 2012 with the primary goal of helping educate and train hoof trimmers to supply a quality service to customers through high standards of work, information and equipment.
After Declan Kelly (the hoof trimmer at the forefront of developing the ICTFA) passed away in 2017, the association decided to develop a bursary in his recognition.
The Declan Kelly Memorial Bursary is sponsored by the Irish Cattle Foot Trimmers Association and Greenway Agri Training Solutions. Last year, it provides two candidates with the opportunity to learn the art of trimming and encourage others to pursue it as a career.
Katherine won last year’s bursary, valued at €2,000, which gave her the push to pursue a career in hoof care.
Katherine Buckleand Eko Hoofcare Sales Manager Blaine McCarron, with the hoof trimming chute she bought from them with the help of a €1,000 bursary they donated to her.
“I don’t think I would have started without the bursary; it was a big help. Before, I was leaving it off - but when I won it, I had to do it,” she says.
One of the founding members of ICFTA, Francis Burns of Eko Hoofcare, knew Katherine was one of the bursary recipients and wanted to support her with the purchase of a professional trimming chute, which offers better safety and efficiency for hoof trimming.
Industry support
“We have been delighted to join the ICFTA in supporting her with a bursary, too. Our bursary was towards the purchase of her first hoof-trimming chute – which holds the cattle securely in place,” he explains.
Regular hoof trimming acts as a preventive treatment for lameness and other conditions. Francis believes Katherine’s work in the region will play an important role for the farming community.
He says, “It’s great to see women making a breakthrough in this field. Katherine has a great attitude and will undoubtedly be a boost to cattle health in the Tipperary region.”
After completing her training earlier this year, Katherine now works five days a week as a hoof trimmer, serving Tipperary and the wider region.
“I get great satisfaction from seeing a cow that was lame beforehand walk steadily away after hoof trimming,” says Katherine.
After her early morning jobs on the family farm, Katherine starts her typical day as a hoof trimmer around 9am.
“It takes about ten minutes to set up the chute when I arrive, and I visit two or three farms a day. So, I trim about 20 or 30 cattle a day, every day. It’s a great job as you meet lots of different people. I can’t believe how quickly my business is growing,” she says.
For more information on the bursary and how to apply,
visit: https://icfta.ie/
Read more
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Growing up on her family’s suckler farm, Katherine Buckley has always been interested in animal care. After completing her Green Cert at Gurteen Agricultural College, a local hoof trimmer was looking for some help. Katherine jumped at the opportunity to get some hands-on experience.
“I said I would do it; I knew I would love that. I started last October, working with him two days a week as his assistant, and then a bursary for the course came up. I decided to apply and I was lucky enough to get it,” she explains.
About the bursary
The Irish Cattle Foot Trimmers Association (ICFTA) was formed in December, 2012 with the primary goal of helping educate and train hoof trimmers to supply a quality service to customers through high standards of work, information and equipment.
After Declan Kelly (the hoof trimmer at the forefront of developing the ICTFA) passed away in 2017, the association decided to develop a bursary in his recognition.
The Declan Kelly Memorial Bursary is sponsored by the Irish Cattle Foot Trimmers Association and Greenway Agri Training Solutions. Last year, it provides two candidates with the opportunity to learn the art of trimming and encourage others to pursue it as a career.
Katherine won last year’s bursary, valued at €2,000, which gave her the push to pursue a career in hoof care.
Katherine Buckleand Eko Hoofcare Sales Manager Blaine McCarron, with the hoof trimming chute she bought from them with the help of a €1,000 bursary they donated to her.
“I don’t think I would have started without the bursary; it was a big help. Before, I was leaving it off - but when I won it, I had to do it,” she says.
One of the founding members of ICFTA, Francis Burns of Eko Hoofcare, knew Katherine was one of the bursary recipients and wanted to support her with the purchase of a professional trimming chute, which offers better safety and efficiency for hoof trimming.
Industry support
“We have been delighted to join the ICFTA in supporting her with a bursary, too. Our bursary was towards the purchase of her first hoof-trimming chute – which holds the cattle securely in place,” he explains.
Regular hoof trimming acts as a preventive treatment for lameness and other conditions. Francis believes Katherine’s work in the region will play an important role for the farming community.
He says, “It’s great to see women making a breakthrough in this field. Katherine has a great attitude and will undoubtedly be a boost to cattle health in the Tipperary region.”
After completing her training earlier this year, Katherine now works five days a week as a hoof trimmer, serving Tipperary and the wider region.
“I get great satisfaction from seeing a cow that was lame beforehand walk steadily away after hoof trimming,” says Katherine.
After her early morning jobs on the family farm, Katherine starts her typical day as a hoof trimmer around 9am.
“It takes about ten minutes to set up the chute when I arrive, and I visit two or three farms a day. So, I trim about 20 or 30 cattle a day, every day. It’s a great job as you meet lots of different people. I can’t believe how quickly my business is growing,” she says.
For more information on the bursary and how to apply,
visit: https://icfta.ie/
Read more
Young Stock Podcast: farming, accounting and being a Macra vice-president
Agri careers: the importance of cross-border student mobility
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