Our Farming Week: Martin and Shane Glennon, Ballydangan, Athlone, Co Roscommon

Farm: “We farm sucklers and sheep with our father, Michael, in Co Roscommon. Selling in-calf commercial heifers would be our main focus on the farm. The Winter Fair in Carrick-on-Shannon is our big event each year. It is a great sale for buying and selling quality in-calf commercial heifers. Our heifers have reached prices of up to €3,700 in recent years.”

Pedigree Simmentals: “We keep a few pedigree Simmentals alongside the commercial cattle. We find the Simmentals are well suited to suckler beef. They make a lovely, docile cow which is easy to work with. Our Simmental stock are in high demand for farmers looking for balanced beef and milk in replacement heifers.”

Sheep: “We lamb up on 80 ewes each January, putting sponged Suffolk-cross ewes to Texel and Charollais rams. We have found these breeds best for fleshing early lambs quickly with a good covering of muscle by the time lambs are fit for the factory.”

Machinery: “We both have a big interest in machinery. We got our first machinery experience by helping out with reseeding on our own farm. Seeing the grassland reseeding process taking place each year was great for familiarising ourselves with different machines and tractor driving.”

Quotable quote: “The qualities we look for in our breeding heifers are docility and good conformation, with four straight feet and four healthy teats. Strong red and white Simmental colouring can also help attract buyers at sales.”

Word of thanks: “We raised over €100,000 for the Irish Cancer Society, the Galway Hospice and the Mayo-Rocommon Hospice in our ‘Driving on for Cathy’ charity campaign dedicated to our late mother, Cathy. We would like to take the opportunity to thank all who contributed to our charity tractor run and auction since October.”