Cindy-Lou Moo, Mooju, Carla, City Slicker and Alfalfa are the names of five Angus X calves owned by four south Dublin teenage girls, who attend Our Lady’s School in Terenure. These calves were christened at a naming ceremony on the grounds of the school recently by Fr Padraic McDermott.

Fr Padraic used the words: “My blessing goes especially to these five calves that share this wonderful world with us.” The interesting (to say the least!) names were chosen via a vote by the school’s students.

Our Lady’s in Terenure was one of the five schools announced as winners in the Certified Irish Angus Beef School Competition 2015.

This year’s competition saw each winning school come away with five Angus X calves that they will raise all the way to slaughter in 18 months. The Dublin girls’ calves will reside on Sean and John Eustace’s farm in Brittas, Co Dublin until then.

croke park debut

The competition is run by the Irish Angus Producer Group, along with its processor partners ABP Ireland and Kepak Group. Entries for the 2016 competition are now open, and the New Year will see the competition reach new heights as it’s being brought to the home of big finals: Croke Park.

On 16 March, the day before the All-Ireland Club finals, a selected number of short-listed schools will have an opportunity to put on a display, similar to the Young Scientist Competition, to a number of agricultural and agri-business judges, who will play a part in the selection of the 2016 five finalist schools.

The calves will be presented to the winning schools at the National Ploughing Championships next September.

Last year’s presentation of calves to the prize winners was an exciting affair, with Miriam O’Callaghan at the helm.

a family affair

This competition provides an ideal opportunity for farmers to get more involved in their children’s education. “Homework time generally clashes with milking time and cattle-feeding time,” says Charles Smith, general manager of the Irish Angus Producer Group.

“Many farmers don’t get time to help with school project work. But students who get involved in this competition will need to gain an understanding of what their parents’ farming life involves while the parent/s that’s farming gets an opportunity to become involved in school work on a subject they are experts in. The student gets a full understanding of what it is to be responsible for the production of livestock, leaving a greater understanding between the parent/s and the student of the demands on each other’s working lives.

“Since the competition started, we have had farmers saying that when their children saw the depth of knowledge they had around issues such as environmental impact of carbon footprint, health and safety, meat quality, sustainability and animal welfare, they were being approached regularly to help with other school project work.”

how to enter

To be in with a chance of making it to Croke Park, students must make a three-minute video, which gives an introduction to the students and the school, explores the role of ag science within the school, gives an understanding of the three main sponsors of the competition, and details plans for the promotion of the Certified Irish Angus Beef brand, if successful in winning the calves.

The closing date for receipt of entries is Friday, 15 January 2016. Those short-listed will be interviewed based on the video.

Then a selection of entries, based on the interview, will be invited to exhibit in Croke Park.

great prizes

Students will benefit fully from the financial gain derived from the production of the cattle, and one school will be chosen as the overall winner, to receive an additional €2,000 payment towards their further education.

Visit www.angusproducergroup.com for more information on how to enter this great competiton.