Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue has announced a major multi-year investment in the Irish agricultural shows scene.
Over the next 5 years, the Minister has announced that €250,000 will be invested in the grassroots showing sector with the rolling out of a brand-new class aimed at showcasing the best of beef breeding heifers. The new class will be administered by the Irish Shows Association (ISA).
The “Breeder’s Choice” class will be open to four and five star breeding heifers in two separate classes – traditional breeds and continental breeds. Pedigree as well as commercial heifers are eligible for the classes. Over the course if the summer, more than 60 shows will benefit from the new class.
The requirement for four and five star in-calf or maiden heifers aligns to the aims of the Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP) and the incoming Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme (SCBP) in the next CAP to increase the number of these heifers in the suckler herd. Four and five star animals in the suckler herd can bring greater milk as well as overall efficiency to beef animals.
Commenting on the major investment in the show sector, Minister McConalogue said, “the show network is the backbone of so many agri and rural communities. The show season is upon us and the excitement of getting an animal ready for your local show is hard bet. What is even more exciting is taking home a yellow, red or blue rosette. These are the marks of what makes a good animal a great animal.”
“I’m delighted to work with the Irish Shows Association on this exciting, multi-year and long-term investment. This is a commitment from me and my department to the Shows sector, to the quality of breeding cattle and to rural Ireland as a whole. I am looking forward to see the heifers and their owners in the new Breeder’s Class at Shows across the country. It is also a commitment from the government to continue to back rural Ireland in any way we can.”
Jim Harrison, secretary of the Irish Shows Association welcomed the announcement by the Minister, “we are delighted to have partnered with the Minister and the department on this exciting new initiative which will see a major investment made in our network of shows. It gives farmers, breeders and handlers great confidence in the show circuit going forward with this initial five-year investment in the Breeder’s Choice class. I now urge all farmers and handlers to get their quality four and five star heifers out and into their local show this summer to avail of this exciting new showing class.”
