The Irish Hereford Breed Society, in collaboration with Slaney Foods International and Lidl Ireland, awarded six bursaries of €1,000 each to six successful candidates at the 86th National Ploughing Championships in Screggan, Tullamore, Co Offaly, last week.

The programme, which was launched earlier in the spring, created wide interest from prospective and aspiring agricultural students wishing to go to agricultural college or study agriculture at third level in the Republic of Ireland this year.

Participants had to submit an assignment entitled Ireland’s Green Grass – Our Pot of Gold at the end of the Rainbow. A team of adjudicators then selected 10 qualifiers to attend an interview at the Irish Hereford Breed Society stand during this year’s National Ploughing Championships. These interviews and the selection of the final six winners was carried out by Dr Stephen Conroy, manager of the ICBF’s progeny test centre.

Minister of State for Food, Forestry and Horticulture Andrew Doyle then announced the six winners, as follows: Catherine Smyth, Navan, Co Meath; Lesley Lewis, Birr, Co Offaly; Lorraine Delaney, Cullohill, Co Laois; Noel Bardon, Mullingar, Co Westmeath; Andrew Hanbidge, Baltinglass, Co Wicklow; and John Mahon, Birr, Co Offaly.

Speaking at the prize-giving, the Irish Hereford Breed Society secretary Larry Feeney said: “Together with our partners, we are very pleased with the response to the competition and with the efforts of the young aspiring agricultural enthusiasts who participated.

“We wish the six winners and the four runners-up, all of whom reached a very high standard, every success in their chosen career path.

“The challenges arising for agriculture into the future will require increased education, particularly in agricultural science. The environmental challenges facing the industry are many and varied, depending on where in the world food is produced and where the world’s population is concentrated.

“We are confident that this competition has succeeded in highlighting the great need for further education in agriculture to meet the needs of a growing population,” he added.

Eyrecourt Limousin to disperse

This coming Saturday (30 September), the Eyrecourt herd of purebred Limousins is set to disperse due to a change in farming enterprise.

The herd, which was founded over 15 years ago, has built numbers steadily with a 100% AI-based system.

In total, 108 animals will go under the hammer, with the majority of lots cows with calves at foot.

These cows are sired by top AI bulls, with a lot of the herd going back to Sympa, Cloughhead Umpire, Nenuphar and On-Dit, with service sires such as Ampertaine Foreman, Queenshead Altea and Wilodge Cerberus. A regular exhibitor at the Irish Limousin Cattle Society sales, seller John Murphy has run a fully closed herd for the last number of years, with the highest herd health programmes in place. Testing free of Johnes and BVD, the herd is also vaccinated for IBR and Lepto. The sale takes place this Saturday 30 September in Roscrea at 12pm. All enquiries about the sale can be made to John Murphy on 087-680 7170 or catalogues can be viewed on the Limousin Society website.