Family farm: “I farm 40 acres outside Cullyhanna with my father, John. Together, we run pedigree Limousin cattle under the Gorrycam prefix. I am married to Bronagh and we have five children.”
Pedigree breeding: “We run five pedigree cows and take a lot of embryos from these animals. We keep another 10 to 12 cows as recipients for implanting embryos. I got into pedigree breeding 18 years ago after purchasing our foundation heifer, Honeylodge Ava. Through embryo transfer, she has produced a lot of breeding stock over the years, some we kept for breeding, with other animals sold at premier sales in Carlisle.”
This week: “I am just starting another flushing cycle and will be prepping six heifers as recipients.”
Working off farm: “I run my own embryo transfer business and work with clients in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. There is a good balance to it in terms of flexibility. I can be on the road two or three days, then spend the rest of the week sorting jobs on my own farm. When I am on the road, my father keeps on top of feeding and checking animals close to calving.”
Prize winning bulls: “Last week, we sold Gorrycam Turbo for 32,000gn which was a really memorable moment, as it is the first bull we have sold at auction where the sire and dam were bred on farm. Over the years, we have had a lot of success selling bulls in Carlisle, many of which have gone into AI companies.”
All-Ireland Football Champions: “I manage the senior team for my local GAA club, St Patrick’s Cullyhanna and back in January, we won the All-Ireland Intermediate Club title. It was a special occasion to share with family, friends and the community. The whole day was an experience I will never forget.”
Getting into pedigree breeding: “Follow your instinct and don’t let others put you off animals you like. Put the quality of animals over the quantity of cows owned.”