Over the past three months the Irish Hereford Breed Society has in association with partners Slaney Foods run a major competition to attract additional suppliers and cattle to its certified Irish Hereford Beef program.

The project has been extremely successful in its object of attracting top class beef farmers and quality assured Hereford sired steers and heifers for the fast growing “Irish Hereford Beef” range at major supermarket chain LIDL.

The latest and final winner in the current competition is Wexford man Nicholas O’Connor of Spring Farm Drumgoold. Nicholas who farms with son James runs a substantial autumn calving dairy herd of 175 cows. Approximately 40% are mated to Friesian/Holstein bulls for replacements with the remainder to Hereford. Some Hereford sired calves are sold off at about eight weeks with the heifer calves more often than not making similar or better prices than the bull calves according to James. The remainder are retained for finishing on farm and taken through to slaughter.

Unusually for nowadays no camera is used to supervise calving since calving does not provide any major difficulties. Ease of calving is a given with the majority of the herds cows calving down without assistance of any kind. If one is due to calve at bedtime one might wait on for completion of the event otherwise its early to bed etc.

All winners of the competition to date had the choice of a €500 Hereford bull purchase voucher or a €400 LIDL shopping voucher. Without exception all winners have chosen to experience “a Lidl bit of Magic” selecting the €400 LIDL voucher as their prize. Shoppers at the fast growing chain have the opportunity to purchase top quality products including Irish Hereford Beef. Take the opportunity to visit a store near you and purchase one of the many cuts of Irish Hereford Beef available including the new mini Irish Hereford Burgers just added to the range which are scrumptious.

Additional supplies of steers and heifers are required to meet the continuing expansion in demand. Call Slaney Foods today at Eamonn on 087/677 9567or John at 087/269 5119

The last thing Lorraine Connolly, Ballylarkin, Freshford expected on her birthday was a call from Slaney Foods, Wexford to tell her she was the winner of their April Slaney/ Hereford/ LIDL competition. Offered the choice of a 500 Euro Hereford bull purchase voucher or a 400 Euro LIDL shopping voucher she quickly choose the LIDL voucher.

With four fast growing sons plus husband Paudie to cater for Lorraine had no hesitation in her selection. “Whether shopping at LIDL or keeping Herefords your money goes further” stated the obviously delighted winner. A chef by profession in addition to her farming enterprise Lorraine is very conscious of quality food and in particular quality beef.

Quality Hereford sired calves are purchased each year usually at Thurles Co-op mart and taken to slaughter at two years or less. Quality grass and silage are an integral part of the diet. Sons Padraig (who has just had a trial for the under 14’s), Connor, Mark and Cian all aspiring Kilkenny county hurlers who are also keen John Deere fans were looking forward to silage making on May 16^th which is two weeks earlier than in 2013 and looks a bumper crop.

The competition is part of a campaign to attract additional suppliers of quality assured Hereford sired steers and heifers for the very successful Slaney/Hereford beef program at Slaney Foods and continues throughout May and June.

Delighted with “a LIDL bit of magic” on her birthday Lorraine is looking forward to her shopping spree at LIDL which she says will definitely include the purchase of a supply of “Deluxe” Irish Hereford Beef which has been a top seller since its launch as part of the LIDL “Deluxe” range.