I farm: “With my husband David and our children in Co Cavan. We have a suckler and sheep farm.”
Sheep: “There are 200 ewes on the farm. They’re all lowland types, made up of Belclare crosses and we have Zwartbles-Suffolk ones too. They have great milk – they make great mothers.”
Sucklers: “We have about 50 sucklers too. They are mostly Limousin and Salers. The bulls are finished under 16 months and the heifers around 20 months. We keep and rear the replacements. I prefer the sheep. David and my son, Matthew, do a great job with the sucklers.”
This week: “It’s been a busy week. We had 100 ewes lamb. Matthew took a week off work to help with the lambing. We got some slurry out too. The conditions were fantastic before the rain came.”
Prolific ewes: “One night last week, we had two sets of quads and one set of quins out of three ewes. All the lambs are doing well. It’s great to see them all doing well but it certainly adds to the workload.”
Call the midwife: “I was born in Australia, outside Melbourne. I wasn’t born on a farm but my grandfather and my uncle ran a farm together, so we were used to the farm. I moved to Edinburgh in 1985 to train as a midwife. I met David at a wedding and the rest is history. I work as a doctor’s nurse now in Killeshandra.”
Family: “I’m married to David and we have four children, Sarah (26), Matthew (25), Alison (22) and Michael (20).”
Life outside farming: “I do some yoga and some painting. I also love to get out to the garden. David and I like to cycle too.”
Quotable quote: “I think the midwife training does help with lambing ewes. It’s mostly the same process – the skills are transferable.”
Two sets of quads and one set of quins were born to three ewes.
Read more
My farming week: Willie John Kehoe, Foulksmills, Co Wexford
My farming week: Frank McClean, Letterkenny, Co Donegal
My farming week: Gene O’Rourke, Tullycoe, Cootehill, Co Cavan
I farm: “With my husband David and our children in Co Cavan. We have a suckler and sheep farm.”
Sheep: “There are 200 ewes on the farm. They’re all lowland types, made up of Belclare crosses and we have Zwartbles-Suffolk ones too. They have great milk – they make great mothers.”
Sucklers: “We have about 50 sucklers too. They are mostly Limousin and Salers. The bulls are finished under 16 months and the heifers around 20 months. We keep and rear the replacements. I prefer the sheep. David and my son, Matthew, do a great job with the sucklers.”
This week: “It’s been a busy week. We had 100 ewes lamb. Matthew took a week off work to help with the lambing. We got some slurry out too. The conditions were fantastic before the rain came.”
Prolific ewes: “One night last week, we had two sets of quads and one set of quins out of three ewes. All the lambs are doing well. It’s great to see them all doing well but it certainly adds to the workload.”
Call the midwife: “I was born in Australia, outside Melbourne. I wasn’t born on a farm but my grandfather and my uncle ran a farm together, so we were used to the farm. I moved to Edinburgh in 1985 to train as a midwife. I met David at a wedding and the rest is history. I work as a doctor’s nurse now in Killeshandra.”
Family: “I’m married to David and we have four children, Sarah (26), Matthew (25), Alison (22) and Michael (20).”
Life outside farming: “I do some yoga and some painting. I also love to get out to the garden. David and I like to cycle too.”
Quotable quote: “I think the midwife training does help with lambing ewes. It’s mostly the same process – the skills are transferable.”
Two sets of quads and one set of quins were born to three ewes.
Read more
My farming week: Willie John Kehoe, Foulksmills, Co Wexford
My farming week: Frank McClean, Letterkenny, Co Donegal
My farming week: Gene O’Rourke, Tullycoe, Cootehill, Co Cavan
This is a subscriber-only article
SHARING OPTIONS: