Next Gen Herefords & Irish Hereford Prime have teamed up to facilitate the Irish Hereford Charity Calf Rearing Program which is encouraging young people to rear calves on their home farms with the added aim of raising money for charity.

How does it work?

In Spring 2022, Over €5,500 was allocated to five of the Hereford Society branches. This money was kindly donated by Irish Hereford Prime and has gone towards towards the buying and maintaining of HEX dairy cross bull calves by Young Hereford breeders who were appointed by their local branches. Each calf has to be male, genotyped and must be disbudded and castrated.

The real journey began in March and April when the calves were purchased from local dairy farmers or dairy farmers within each young persons region. Once in their new home, the calves were then taken under the wings of a young Hereford breeder who has been busy since then rearing & tending to their calf.

Every young handler, on top of feeding & rearing the calf, will be halter training and preparing their animal for showing at the Next Gen Herefords Youth Competition and National Hereford Calf Show in GVM Tullamore in November 2022. This will be the first day out for the animals and they will be a great asset to young handlers who wish to show smaller, well trained cattle in the show.

Helping honourable charities

Each of the animals involved in this program will be reared onto their second year. In 2023, the cattle will be sold at a live auction with full proceeds being donated to a charity of the young breeders or the branches choice.

Meet the Young Breeders

We are delighted to have in total 15 young breeders – rearing 11 crossbred calves – across five branches.

Over the next 10 weeks, we will be bringing you an insight into the lives of each of the young handlers and the good work they are doing in looking after their calves along with details of their chosen charities but for now – meet the team (in no particular order);

North Leinster: Ciaran Kinahan, Tullyview Herefords, Co. Westmeath

North Leinster: Tara & Elisa Drumm, Crowenstown Herefords, Co. Westmeath

South Leinster: Aidan Jones, Clonroe Herefords, Co. Wexford

South Leinster: Anna Jacob, Dunsinane Herefords, Co. Wexford

Ulster: Charlie & Adam McKenna, Lisgoagh Herefords, Co. Monaghan

Connaught: Sinead Conry, Rathnollag Herefords, Co. Roscommon

Connaught: Eoin, Liam & Dara O’Reilly, Bridgehouse Herefords, Co. Leitrim

Connaught: Paul & Cian Bohan, Gortfadda Herefords, Co. Leitrim

Munster: John Cregan, Tullaha Herefords, Co. Limerick

Munster: Conor O’Rourke, Ardlahan Herefords, Co. Limerick

We wish to thank all of the young breeders for getting involved and wish them the very best of luck – they are each doing a top job so far & we look forward to bringing you all the news & updates as the we move closer to the show day in Tullamore!