For a cow to produce five heifer calves in three years is impressive. To do this while maintaining a 365 day calving interval by calving in February in each of the three years is really impressive. Pat Quigley farms in Killenaule in south Tipperary and is delighted with prolificacy of one of his Friesian cows (no 1191) – he said: “The cow had a Friesian heifer calf during her first calving in February 2012. She calved again in February 2013 and had twin heifers. To get another set of twin heifers from her again this February was brilliant altogether.”

The cow is sired by Eurogene bull NRB (Holstein Friesian), has an EBI of €135 and her dam is a Montebeliarde cow (no 627) who had twins once before herself and is currently in her 10th lactation. The Montbeliarde genetics is still evident in the offspring two generations on as all the cow’s heifers were born with white heads as can be seen from the pictures. Pat said what makes the achievement even more impressive is that the cow needed no intervention any year after calving and went back in calf each time without any treatment.