My Farming Week: Denise Rafferty, Killymarran, Ballinode, Co Monaghan

I farm: “Dairy-calf-to-beef and 20 pedigree Zwartbles ewes on 25ac with a long-term lease. I help out with my father, uncle and boyfriend, Daniel, on their farms too and work off farm with Thompsons Feeding Innovation.”

Calves: “I buy in 20 heifer calves each spring at two weeks of age off the one farm. I’ve traditionally got the Angus and Herefords but he had some nice Charolais and Belgian Blues this year so I tried them as a bit of an experiment. I put time into getting the calves right, having them healthy and they’ve thrived well. I sell 10 as weanlings and keep the other 10 on to finish before they’re 24 months old.”

Fodder: “Grass has been good overall this year but it had a slow start. I probably spread less fertiliser but was lucky to get a field of first-cut silage locally, so there was no shortage of winter feeding in that. It’s taken the pressure off grazing now and I find the strip grazing saves grass and keeps the cattle content and thriving.”

Sheep: “The ewes follow the cattle for clean-up. They’re sponged to lamb the 28 December and we’ll scan now next Saturday. I got three Zwartbles as a birthday present in 2018 and have built up the flock since. I come from a dairy and beef background and they’re the closest thing to the Holstein cow I could find in sheep. They’re very maternal and milky and they’ve a bit of character about them as well.”

Sales: “I only keep our best three ram lambs suitable for breeding and fatten the rest then to sell in April or May.”

Quotable quote: “When you love what you do and have an interest, it’ll always be easier to better your farm.”