The annual Irish Pure Friesian club open day 2023 in association with the Irish Holstein Friesian Association will be held on Thursday 29 June on the farm of Gearoid and Sarah Maher of the Killuragh herd.

The Killuragh herd is located just outside Cappamore in Co Limerick and the 2023 open day is sponsored by Dairygold, FBD and the NDC.

Gearoid is a fourth-generation dairy farmer who took over the family farm in 2011 at the age of 26 after he graduated from University with an Honours Degree in Agricultural Science.

Gearoid chose to farm pure Friesians for a number of reasons with one of those falling to tradition. His father and his grandfather both farmed pedigree Friesian cows.

Based on this, Gearoid purchased 40 pedigree pure Friesian cows, the majority of which were purchased from the Dunum herd in Doon and the Gortfadda herd in Adare.

Gearoid commented: “This was the foundation of my farm and these cows were the establishment of my pedigree herd. Some of these cows are the mainstay of the herd to this day”.

Gearoid and Sarah’s herd has grown to 80 cows that are producing 6,600kg at 4.08% fat and 3.56% protein.

Gearoid said: “This has been achieved from marginal land and all from cows that are minus from milk! My calving interval is close to 365 days and the empty rate is generally 4% to 5% with a submission rate to first service consistently over 90% and 70% conception rate to first service”

“My cows and my cow type are the pillar to my success. The pure Friesian is probably the most underrated breed in the country but to me the pure Friesian cow is a high-producing, highly fertile, low-maintenance cow,” Gearoid added.

Gearoid was a National finalish is the Kerrygold and National Dairy Council (NDC) Quality Milk awards in 2022. He is also an ambassador for the Farming with Nature organisation and hosted an open day for them on his farm last year.

Impressively, Gearoid is also a farming ambassador for the National Dairy Council having recently featured as a discussion panelist on the NDC stand at the Bloom Festival.

Fundraiser for Temple Street Hospital

Gearoid and Sarah are very grateful to Temple Street Hospital whose expert care of their eldest daughter Sally Kate when she was sick as a young baby is greatly appreciated. A fundraiser for the Temple Street charity is to take place as part of the open day with all donations going to this very worthy cause. Donate online using the following link https://www.idonate.ie/fundraiser/SallyKateThankyou