The agricultural society (AgSoc) of University College Dublin has grown massively in reputation over the last number of years.

Originally set up for students with a common interest to make friends and build networks while studying at UCD, it is now one of the biggest societies in the college and raises a massive amount of money for charity each year.

Last year, the society raised €65,000 for two chosen charities and this year it is well on track to raise a similar amount.

This year’s chosen charities are CMRF Crumlin St John’s Ward (children’s cancer unit) and Teac Tom.

To raise these substantial figures, the society runs a number of social nights and fundraisers throughout the year.

Perhaps the biggest of these is the annual grand raffle, which aims to raffle off a pedigree heifer each year.

This year, the top prize is a pedigree two-year-old Limousin heifer. The heifer was kindly sponsored by the Irish Limousin Cattle Society, Dan Tynan and Kevin Bohan and comes from the Ardlea pedigree herd in Mountrath, Co Laois.

The donated heifer, Ardlea Natalie, is sired by Leo, with Henzo and Emerson also in the back breeding. Her family line goes back to the well-known show heifer Ardlea Electra.

This is a particularly important year for the Ardlea/Elite herds, with a complete dispersal sale this August.

Those who enter and don’t win the top prize also have a chance of winning 1t of Roche’s Feeds beef or calf nuts, 1t of Aurivo Calf Crunch ATP or Calf Grower ATP, a one-night stay for two people with dinner at Mount Wolseley Hotel in Carlow, a Herdwatch subscription for one year, a €150 Eurogene voucher or calf jackets.

AgSoc auditor Aoife Bergin said: “Myself and the committee would sincerely like to thank the Irish Limousin Cattle Society, Dan Tynan and Kevin Bohan for their kind donation.

“It will make a massive difference to the charities in the long run and we thank everyone for their continued support. Same goes to all the kind sponsors who donated prizes to make this raffle happen.”

Tickets are on sale from all AgSoc committee members, who will also be in marts across the country in the coming weeks.