The Irish Holstein Friesian Association will have a vibrant presence at this year’s National Ploughing Championships. The key message is that the Holstein Friesian breed has the unique genetic variation and diversity to suit all dairy farming systems.

IHFA representative Donal Carey said: “With improved fertility, EBI and protein percentage as recognised through Teagasc research, coupled with milk yield, the Holstein Friesian can out-perform all dairy breeds in delivering milk solids from pasture-based systems.”

A team of pedigree registered Holstein Friesian cows on display will serve as a focal point for the association in highlighting the many services and benefits it offers to dairy farmers. The team of cows on view are sourced from herds located in neighbouring counties and exemplify the tremendous efficiency, genetic diversity and variation that exists within the Holstein Friesian breed.

The breed is uniquely positioned to be utilised by dairy farmers to add value to their business by offering high yields of milk solids, functional conformation, cow family recognition, cull cow return, generations of ancestry, and with an ability to impact positively on family income based on over 50 years of trusted and proven performance rooted in the Irish dairy landscape.

IHFA has an open herd book, which means new members are welcome to join and through its Grade-Up service can then go on to attain pedigree status for their herd. The process involved is very simple. On thousands of dairy farms throughout the country, there is an accumulation of good breeding records built up over many years. Based on such records, the Grade-Up service can provide a pathway to attain pedigree Holstein Friesian status. It is a streamlined process to add value to these records that have been built up through the years and indeed over generations of farm families.

The society will also host a free draw with some tremendous prizes on offer. First prize is the opportunity to win a pedigree registered Holstein Friesian heifer calf.

Conformation scoring and classification are valued IHFA services in helping dairy farmers reach specific breeding goals for their herd. It is an independent, unbiased linear assessment of the functional components of cows in your herd. The linear scores attained were built up over generations of breeding and this can help add value to cow families. The data collected is also used in conveying the message of a bull’s transmitting pattern which all dairy farmers can assess in making informed breeding decisions. Genomic testing technology is a service that continues to expand in possibilities. All IHFA registered stock bulls receive genomic breeding values in addition to parentage verification. This increases the reliability of the figures and helps the farmer using stock bulls to make informed decisions.

IHFA service offerings will be on view at its Ploughing Championships pavillion. Staff members will be on hand to help with queries and will be happy to offer assistance.