The Irish Holstein Friesian Associations (IHFA) is set to host its annual open day in three weeks' time on the farm of Bryan and John O’Connor, just outside Kanturk in Co. Cork.

The O’Connors, who operate the prestigious award-winning Cedarmore Holsteins herd, will open their gates to the public on Wednesday, July 8.

The pair are milking 180 pedigree cows through three Lely Astronaut robotic units powered by roof-mounted solar panels.

The herd produced just over 10,500kg last year at 4% fat and 3.4% protein.

Calving takes place in two blocks, one in the spring and one in the autumn, with cows going through the parlour all-year round.

Breeding

The O'Connors father, Bryan Senior, founded what was originally known as the Bawnmore herd back in the 1950s, breeding pedigree animals.

Bryan Junior then took over the reins, milking under the Bawnmore prefix until 2013, when he joined forces with his brother John who had began purchasing his own cows.

The pair then decided to 'upgrade the herd to the next level' together through strategic purchasing of animals and high standards of breeding.

Fast forward to 2026, the O'Connors' knowledge and graft has resulted in one of the best pedigree Holstein herds in Ireland, with the name 'Cedarmore Holsteins' known on a global stage.

Bryan said they have been buying semen and embryos from some of the most elite herds in the world for a number of years, with several of his stock having American relatives.

They also flush a shot of their own cows for the embryos each year.

Bryan said they are aiming to breed "slightly smaller, more functional cows".

As it stands, the herd weight is above the average, with a typical cow in the herd currently weighing in at 700kg.

However, the O'Connors are nearing their target of 800-900kg milk solids (MS) off these cows, with a focus on longevity to ensure each cow gets a number of high producing lactations, rather than a cow that produces "crazy" figures for two to three years and is gone again.

Bryan also said teat length and placement is important for their robotic setup, stating that it is something you can not ignore but at the same time it is not much of a problem on their farm.

90% of the herd is inseminated with sexed semen each year, with the pair breeding off high-performing genetics.

The target is to have 90% of the herd calved down in six weeks at each calving block, but Bryan said it can be a challenge with sexed semen as the conception rates are not as high as your conventional straws - however, they do run a synchronisation programme.

Animal comfort

Bryan highlighted how animal welfare and comfort is of extreme importance to them.

He said: "All animals deserve to live their days in a good environment."

This thinking drove the decision to move the milking block to a farm purchased by John in 2017, with the two demolishing all sheds as they were no longer practical and installing a large 12 bay shed, which has since been extended by four more bays.

The O'Connors began construction in 2020, and were milking through two robots by 2021, with the third robot only installed last month.

A calf shed was constructed parallel to the cow shed, with additional state-of-the-art calving facilities constructed this year.

The O'Connors also opted to install a Lely Vector system, with Bryan stating that feeding is now done meticulously, between correct diet formulations and consistent pushing in of fodder.

The instalment has proved extremely successful, especially as they often buffer feed on the 'C' block of the A-B-C grazing block which runs for the robots.

The A and B blocks are both grazing blocks then, with the O'Connors keeping a strong focus on grassland management as it is the staple of the diet from St. Patrick's Day to mid October.

IHFA open day

People will have the opportunity to view the farm system at the IHFA open day next month.

There will also be an excellent programme of activities for all to enjoy on the day, including stock judging, trade exhibits, presentations, and an open dairy sale.

The O'Connors themselves will have 50 animals in the sale, given farms an opportunity to buy into elite genetics.

Cedarmore herd's success was well summed up in 2023, as Bawnmore Pepper Almeric EX95 was crowned the Supreme Senior Holstein Friesian Champion title at the FBD National Livestock Show in Tullamore, before going on top win the title of Irish Holstein Cow of the Year.