Category: Nature & Agriculture

Conor Aherne with Heifer in Milk Winner Moorshill

Dairy Competitors Looking forward to their day in the Ring

It’s the biggest event of the year for pedigree dairy breeders to showcase their cows and heifers – the National Dairy Show (NDS) in Milstreet’s Green Glen Arena, taking place on the 13^th and 14^th of October this year. Exhibitors come from nearly every county in the country and already this year the committee have received entries from Monaghan, Limerick, Kildare, Kilkenny, Wicklow and Wexford to name but a few. Two exhibitors who won’t have quite as big a distance to travel are Pat Ahern, Moorshill Herd, Rylane, Co. Cork and Jason Helen, who farms with his parents Robert and Sylvia, and partner Laura Cornthwaite under the Eedy prefix, Clonakilty, Co. Cork.

Pat has shown many pedigree Jerseys at Milstreet over the years, winning the Heifer in Milk class last year with Moorshill Veronca Chrome. Moorshill Buttercup took home the Overall Jersey Champion Rosette in 2014. Pat talks about his experiences at the NDS very fondly “I’ve always enjoyed showing at Milstreet – there is a fantastic buzz around the show and the quality of cows is really excellent. Now my children have an interest in showing also it makes it all the more enjoyable. I’ve been exhibiting animals at Milstreet for over 20 years and I hope to still be showing there for many years to come.” Milstreet sees some of the biggest coloured breed classes around the country, and last years Championship was hotly contested by some superb cows and heifers in milk before Ballyealan Tequila Louise exhibited by Tom Lynch was tapped out as champion.

Cows and heifers from the Eedy herd can always be found in the NDS line ups taking home top prizes.  Eedy Alexander Acclaim ET won the coveted Confined Champion Award at the NDS in 2018. The Helen family also won the Premier Breeder award at last years show – which was due to a combination of Eedy winners shown by the Helens and cows and heifers they had bred and sold to new owners topping their classes. It was by far the highlight of the show for Jason “It was really special to win Premier Breeder last year, it’s a great reward to see heifers you have bred doing well for their new owners and competing at shows around the country”. After another busy summer of shows for the Helen family they are looking forward to finishing out the show season for 2023 at Milstreet, and hopefully out of the four entries they have this year a few will come home with rosettes!

The NDS are incredibly grateful to have the support of AXA Insurance as the main sponsors again this year. As part of their sponsorship package, each exhibitor will receive an AXA Farm Insurance Voucher to the value of €100. Moreover the NDS recognises the work it takes to turn out cows and heifers for a show day, especially when they are in milk and so all winners in the milking classes will receive a minimum of €200 in prize money – this is one of the best prize-fund pots in the country!

Come along to see these impressive animals and their breeders for yourself on the 13^th and 14^th of October at the Green Glens Arena Milstreet, Co. Cork.

For all exhibitors don’t forget to get your entries into Georgia Greenan at ggreenan @ihfa.ie before the closing date on TUESDAY 19^TH SEPTEMBER

Jason Helen with Eedy Crushabull Acclaim

Pat Ahern with Moorshill Buttercup

The Helen family collecting the Premier Breeder award for 2022

Judge Announced for 2023 National Dairy Show

For Immediate Release

13th- 14th October, Green Glens Arena, Millstreet, Co.Cork

Irelands Number One Dairy Event!

The AXA National Dairy Show Committee are delighted to announce Niels Erik Haahr as the judge for this years National Dairy Show. The 41st edition of the show takes place in its usual venue of the Green Glens Arena, Millstreet, Co. Cork on the earlier date of the 13^th and 14^th of October for 2023.

This year’s esteemed judge, Niels Erik Haahr, is one of the top Holstein breeders in Denmark, and works with cattle in Germany and Scandinavia, investing in high-quality genetics from across the world.  Haahr and his wife Anja, along with their four children run the Anderstrup Herd which will be a familiar prefix to many farmers – Anderstrup Holsteins is the source of numerous top AI bulls used all over Europe. For example, the VikingGenetics sires Mandel (MOM-Didrik; Tirsvad Luke Classic family) and Miracle (Massey-Roumare; Tir-An Calano Kristine family),who combined have produced over 40,000 daughters, or Anderstrup Clash-P, a Powerball also from the Classic family who is currently the highest scoring bull on the Italian progeny proven list. Prominent Red Holstein bulls have also come from Anderstrup, of note are numerous sons of SPH Croteau Brekem Saigon-Red, such as Sting, Gonzales and Marsden-P in Germany and Sky-Red in Scandinavia. The herd numbers 540 cows with an average production of 17,052 kg milk at 3.82% Fat and 3.5% Protein, last year they were the number 1 production herd in Europe, a significant achievement!

Haahr is no stranger to the show ring as both an exhibitor and judge, his judging accolades include the European Red Holstein Show in Germany and judging National shows all across Spain, Holland, Belgium, England, Portugal, Denmark and many more. Haahr is clear in what he will be looking for at this years show “I follow a two-type model when it comes to assessing cows. I’m searching for a well-balanced animal with super feet and legs as well as an outstanding udder. The mammary system is very important for me, and key for any dairy producer looking to get a good result from their herd.”

The National Dairy Show will run over Friday the 13th and Saturday the 14th of October with dairy classes and the large trade show taking place over both days, which proved a hugely successful move last year! Punters and exhibitors alike commented on the huge crowd attending both days and the electric atmosphere throughout the venue. The event has become the meeting place of the dairy industry and will again include the biggest specialised dairy trade exhibition in Ireland. There will be major exhibitors in the area of AI, animal health, breeding & dairy agritech, milking equipment, robotics , livestock machinery, finance, dairy services, nutrition, soil & land management, dairy inputs and many other areas in attendance. There is still time to get those entries in for both livestock exhibitors (deadline 19^th September) and trade stands (29^th September) – see https://nationaldairyshow.com/ for more

The National Dairy Show Committee look forward to welcoming you to Milstreet once again this October.

I captured my shadow,  enjoying the busy bees and butterflies flitting around Millstreet’s pollinator park on a changeable weather Sunday morning.

The whitethorn is in full bloom, an indication of a long summer ahead?

Read more about the Piseogs for the whitethorn plant