The National Hereford Calf Show is set to take place tomorrow (Saturday, November 16), at GVM Tullamore Mart, Co. Offaly.
The event is set to kick off at 10:00a.m and will see approximately 80 Hereford calves from across the country on show.
The sponsors for this year’s event are Irish Herford Prime and Dovea Genetics.
According to the Irish Hereford Breed Society, it is hoped that some of the standout bulls from the show may qualify to join Irish Hereford Prime’s expanding bull panel which now forms a key part of their beef sustainability programme.
A statement from the society said: “This prestigious event will bring together 80 of the best Hereford calves from across the country, offering a prime opportunity to witness top-tier genetics and the next generation of breeding stock.
“The event will feature some of Ireland’s finest young Hereford bulls and heifers, with classes kicking off at 10:00a.m.”
About the National Hereford Calf Show sponsors
The Dovea Genetics bull stud is located near Thurles in Co. Tipperary and has 120 bulls standing at stud producing semen in a controlled environment which is monitored and audited by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).
The artificial insemination (AI) company currently has a dairy and beef-breeding programme in operation to enable the business to identify the best dairy and beef bulls.
The beef programme revolves around buying the best young bulls in each breed from performance test stations, on-farm, at shows and sales annually.
Farmer-led and member-owned, Irish Hereford Prime was established in 1997 with the aim of “marketing Hereford beef as a premium brand synonymous with quality and sustainability”.
Irish Hereford Prime members receive a bonus for stock that meets Irish Hereford Prime’s certification requirements.
As such, animals must be Hereford steers or heifers, from herds approved under Bord Bia’s Sustainable Beef and Lamb Assurance Scheme (SBLAS).
Additionally, carcasses must fall within parameters which take age, weight, grade and fat score into account.
These requirements ensure that Certified Irish Hereford Prime “can be marketed as a premium product”, according to the producer group.