Last week’s glorious sunshine meant that there was a reduction in crowd size at the annual pure Friesian open day. However, those who were present witnessed one of the finest working pure Friesian herds in the country.

The open day took place on the farm of Bryan and Gail Daniels who own the Raheenarran herd based in southwest Kilkenny. Having taken over the farm at 19, Bryan decided that dairying was the system to best drive a return, with Friesian the breed to do it. The farm, based 900ft above sea level, has seen a dramatic increase in size, growing from 90 in 2007 to 300 at present.

The increase was mostly done from within herd, with cattle selected to be able to produce from a grass-based diet.

Tremendous grass growth in addition to quality silage production provides for an annual supplementation rate of only 400kg/cow.

From this input, the Raheenarran herd reaches benchmark levels of production, averaging 422kg milk solids of 3.66% protein matched with a herd achieving a six-week calving rate of 90%.

Having originally been graded up to achieve pedigree status, the herd has used stand-out females as its backbone. One of these females is Raheenarran Hylke Breda VG87. This cow has proven herself as a real bull producer in the herd. She scored EX92 for legs and feet and this functionality score captured her longevity, lasting in the herd for 14 lactations.

In total, she produced over 6,000kg milk solids with protein to 3.98 %. Her son and her herd’s first bull into AI was Raheenarran MEB Sochar (RHS). His evaluation now includes 1,029 Irish milking daughters in 372 herds.

Another son, BCG Sochar (RVJ), currently has over 4,000 Irish milking daughters and also has milking daughters recorded in Australia. The Daniels family also kept a son, Raheenarran Bod, which has bred a number of consistent daughters within the herd. Hylke Breda continues to leave her mark on the herd with the two most recent purchases for AI descending from her. These are a great grandson Mr Jingles (ZJJ) and Mr Potter (FR4133) born in 2016.

The herd epitomises what can be achieved in both production and fertility from a low-input system using a herd of pure Friesian cows.

The day incorporated a tour of the herd, stock judging and perhaps the most anticipated was the awarding of the prizes for the annual pure Friesian herds competition.

The competition, sponsored by FBD, saw Michael Spillane come out on top for his Mountain herd based in Fethard, Co Tipperary. Securing second place was Bill O’Keeffe with his Churchclara herd in Co Kilkenny, while Peadar Healy claimed third place with his Castlecomer-based Firoda herd.

Winners

Winners of the stock judging were as follows:

Under 18s:

1 Lar Murphy, Co Kilkenny.

2 Pauric Coleman, Co Carlow

3 Christopher Walsh, Co Waterford.

Aged 18 and over:

1 John C Murphy, Ballagh, Kilmanagh.

2 Jonathan Crowley, Mooncoin.

3 Ernest Seale, Portlaoise.