Monaghan cow named Baileys Irish Champion

One of the most prestigious dairy cow awards in Ireland was given to two Monaghan brothers at the recent Virginia Show.

Brendan and Padraic Greenan’s Holstein Freisan MG Rhapsody EX 96 left Virginia as the Diageo Baileys Irish Champion Dairy Cow 2024, after placing fifth in the same competition two years previous.

The class attracted dairy farmers from across Ireland, each aiming to home a red rosette, €3000 and the Virginia Milk Products Cup.

The Anglo-Celt spoke to Brendan before entering the show ring. The Ardaghey native was quietly confident, explaining that MG Rhapsody scored 96 points before, with 97 points being the maximum that any cow can score.

“It’s a breakdown of her conformation and how good her points are,” he explained.

He detailed what the judges of the class consider: “They’re looking for strength and power,” he said, adding that they also look for a “high and wide” udder, how big the animal’s stomach is and the veins in their udder.

“Venation and texture in her udder demonstrates how milky they are, how much milk they can produce. She’s producing a lot of milk currently, somewhere around 60 litres a day.”

Asked about his expectations, Brendan referenced his fellow competitors who had travelled from across Ireland.

“Everybody’s hoping for the red rosette,” he surmised.

As well as the overall winner, there were two other classes in the Baileys championship. The winner of the Heifer in Milk class was Slatabogie Lambda Gold from the Slatabogie Holsteins herd in Derry.

In the Junior Cow class Hallow Denver Twizzle VG89 owned by Philip and Linda Jones from Wexford came out on top.

Speaking before the competition, Philip Jones from Gorey said he would “see how it [the class] goes.”

“Everyone wants to do good at the end,” he admits.

Down the line of farmers-come-stylists-and-beauticians was Andrew O’Driscoll, who made the trip from West Cork on Sunday afternoon to participate in the Heifer in Milk class. The Clonakilty man explained why he made the six hour journey with his two heifers.

“Number one it’s a massive prestigious show and number two you’re showcasing the animals you have bred at home on your farm.

“You’re going up against other exhibitors and competitors that are equally as dedicated to farming, and dairy especially, and you’re testing yourself against them in the show ring. You’re seeing can you compete with the best and the best are here now today,” he explained.

The name of the family breed is Angel, a line which Andrew is keen to continue.

“I’ll try and breed on their daughters now again to try to continue the family and breed on from that.

“You can’t do that overnight, you have to have patience that’s the biggest thing.”

While he hopes the herd will continue in years to come Andrew acknowledges the sector is becoming increasingly difficult. Having witnessed Taoiseach Simon Harris pass through the shed earlier that day, the Celt asked what he would have liked to have said to the Taoiseach.

“We’re gone very EU based now in terms of the EU payments and all of that and I don’t think they’re enough really. The weather is the battle every year and sure especially this year the spring was desperate.”

With the weather “so challenging” for farmers, he suggested that there should be “lump sum payment” or a “standard amount” given to every dairy, tillage and beef farmer.

“The costs this year have been frightening,” he continued, adding that farmers “need something coming in the other side” when they see their expenses and inputs constantly increasing.

Andrew suggests farmers receive a standard amount based on the amount of stock or acres of crop they have.

“If you’re a tillage farmer, if you’ve a hundred acres of barley that you get €10,000,” he suggested.

“There’s money being spent this year [by farmers] and it’s not on the other side so that means your family life suffers, you don’t go out as much, the cost of living has increased.

“We have to face the weather and spend more and more money, how are we living?” he asked.

Conor Lehne from Bandon was styling a heifer for owners Peter and Richard Kingston who travelled from Kinsale to enter their heifers in the Heifer in Milk and the Junior Cow class.

“This one is the big one for the year,” he said of the show.

“If you have a cow that would win Baileys or even get here it’s a big achievement so there’s an awful lot of hype about the show.

“Even the buzz around the crowd already, it’s one of the best shows I would say in the country definitely.”

Asked for his expectation of the day, Conor was waiting for the final judgement.

“It’s down to the judge at the end of the day, you might think you’ve a good one but the judge might think different.”