The Maher family is set to host this year’s Pure Friesian open day is association with Irish Holstein Friesian Association (IHFA).
The family runs the Killuragh Pure Friesian herd, near Cappamore in east Co. Limerick, and will host the open day on Thursday, June 29.
Gearoid and Sarah Maher along with their two daughters Sally Kate and Lily are delighted to be chosen by the Irish Pure Friesian Club to host this year’s open day, which is sponsored by Dairygold, FBD and the National Dairy Council (NDC).
Kate Maher; Sophie Roche; Paddy Quealy, Pure Friesian Club,;
Laurence Feeney, IHFA CEO
Image: IHFA
A fourth-generation dairy farmer, Gearoid took over the farm in 2011 at the age of 26. In the years prior, the farm had been leased out due to his father being in ill health.
Graduating with an honours degree in agricultural science, Gearoid had always planned to return home to the family farm and recommence dairy farming.
A herd of cows was assembled, and he re-established the Killuragh prefix with the IHFA and thus started a new chapter for the herd, building for a better and progressive future.
Killuragh herd
Commenting ahead of the Pure Friesian Open Day, Gearoid said: “My farm has turned full circle from an almost derelict holding to a profitable enterprise in just one decade.
“My cows and cow type are the pillar to my success.
“The pure Friesian is probably the most underrated breed in the country but to me, the pure Friesian cow is a high producing, highly fertile, low-maintenance cow”.
The farm has a clay-based soil and an average grazing season of between 200-240 days.
Gearoid knew that changing the land type wasn’t possible, so a focus was placed on the cows and cow type.
“The cow was going to be the engine of the farm,” he said.
“There was also an element of tradition in my decision as my father and his father before him all bred pedigree Friesian cows.
“So, I purchased 40 pedigree pure Friesian cows, the majority from the Dunum herd and some from the Gortfadda herd.”
This purchased stock was the foundation of the farm and the establishment of the pedigree herd. Some of these cows are the mainstay of the herd to this day.
“Being a new entrant, the advice out there was to focus on EBI (economic breeding index) and to only breed a cow from a number on a page – I thought this was mad.
“A suckler farmer would never buy a bull from just looking at a book.
“I decided to look at what the dams and gran dams were producing and from there I focused on breeding for milk and protein because every other trait is a given.”
“Today, my herd has grown to 80 cows producing 6,600kg of milk, with fat of 4.08% and protein of 3.56%,” he continued.
“This has been achieved from marginal land and all from cows that are minus for milk.
“My calving interval is close to 365 days and the empty rate is generally 4-5% with a submission rate to first service consistently over 90% and 70% conception rate to first service.
“Currently, there are three EX cows [and] 23 VG cows. There’s eight cows of 8th lactation and older in the herd, demonstrating fertility, health and longevity attributes.”
Image: IHFA
Farming ambassador
The quality of the herd is such that Gearoid was a national finalist in the Kerrygold and National Dairy Council Quality Milk Awards 2022.
Gearoid is active and involved as a farming ambassador across many public platforms.
He is an ambassador for the Farming with Nature organisation and hosted an open day on the farm last year.
The public could see how Gearoid farms in harmony with nature with management strategies adopted to positively impact on nature and the environment.
He is also a farming ambassador for the National Dairy Council (NDC), having recently featured as a discussion panellist on the NDC stand at the Bloom festival.
Fundraiser
Gearoid and Sarah are very grateful to Temple Street Hospital whose expert care of their eldest daughter Sally Kate when she was sick as a young baby is greatly appreciated.
A fundraiser for the Temple Street charity is to take place as part of the open day with all donations going to this very worthy cause. Donations are being accepted online.