The Fermanagh County Show, which takes place from Tuesday 2 to Wednesday 3 August, won’t have any pedigree livestock classes this year and instead will showcase some of the best suckler stock as part of a new Suckler Classic competition.

Russell Smyton uses AI across the sucklers on his Brookeborough farm.
Russell Smyton uses AI across the sucklers on his Brookeborough farm.

In total, 11 commercial suckler herds from across Fermanagh have entered the competition, sponsored by The Vaughan Trust, which comes with a £1,250 prize fund, including £500 to the winner. There is also an additional £500 if the first place is a Fermanagh herd.

The aim of the competition is to promote a sustainable suckler industry in the future.

Fintan Keown runs a commercial suckler herd outside Belleek.

The herds have been judged against specific criteria where the winners will have non-pedigree cows that are efficient, easily fed, have sufficient milk to rear a calf, and can produce a calf with good conformation.

The competition is not about finding the best conformed calf in the county that could win at a fatstock show.

The top five herds will be asked to bring along a cow and calf unit, typical of what they have on their farm, to the Fermanagh Show on 3 August.

Charolais cross calves owned by Paul Hackett, Newtownbutler.
Charolais cross calves owned by Paul Hackett, Newtownbutler.

The winner will not be based on this cow and calf, but on what was seen when judging the entire herd. In future, the show organisers intend introducing other criteria, to include the likes of data around calving index.

Heifers

A second competition sponsored by Lakeland Veterinary Services and with a prize fund of £500 is looking to find the best home-bred non-pedigree beef breeding heifer.

Robbie Wilson, Magheraveely, is a relatively new entrant to sucklers.

The winner will be the animal judged as having the best potential to produce and rear a calf with good conformation. Qualifying heifers must be born after 1 January 2021, will be available to view at the show and will be judged on the day.

Read more

What have we been doing on Tullamore Farm to improve sustainability?

Tullamore Farm: the story so far