I farm: “Ninety acres in Bruff, Co Limerick. The land is a mixture of half dry and half wet land, so you would have to manage it as best you can at different times of the year.”

Suckling: “I have 20 sucklers. I don’t expect to have any calves until the start of March and they will be calving up until the middle of April. I sell all as beef, usually at around 20 to 22 months of age.”

Hereford: “I have a commercial Hereford herd. We have always had Hereford cattle at home. They are a good-quality, hardy animal and I think they are a very suitable breed for this part of the country.”

Turn-out: “We don’t have a very early turn-out date around here. In an exceptional year, I might be able to turn out my cows and calves as they are calving, but normally I would keep them in for two or three weeks until I am sure about ground conditions and grass covers.”

Family: “I am married to Fiona and we have three children; Sally is 10, Roisin is nine and Bill is four.”

Writing: “I really enjoy the rugby reports in Irish Country Living. I have never done anything like it before. I find it gives me a great chance to watch games from another perspective and I can analyse things differently. It gives me the chance to put my opinions into words, which is a challenge, but is also very enjoyable.”

Six Nations: “I think Ireland will win the championship. England and Scotland will be very tough games but if we can stay fit we have a right good chance. You will hear different injury rumours come from all camps over the course of the tournament but what you hear isn’t always what you see.”

Quotable quote: “It is very important for suckler farmers to get a calf per cow per year. If you lose a calf, it’s a very expensive feed bill for the cow.”