New Member Profile - Seamus Culkeen

New IHFA members Seamus and Patrick Culkeen, Drimneene herd, Dunmore, Co. Galway. Following classification inspection, the herd includes 18 VG/EX cows.

Seamus Culkeen, farming with his father, Patrick, near Dunmore in east Galway, is on the cusp of his dairy farming career following the completion of his formal agricultural education and training in January this year.

He recently became an IHFA member, establishing the Drimneene herd prefix, setting a foundation in place from which to grow and add value to his interest and enthusiasm for quality pedigree registered Holstein Friesian breeding.

Having recently availed of IHFA Classification service Seamus is “absolutely thrilled” with the level of conformation assessment of the day resulting in two cows scoring Excellent (EX) and sixteen scoring Very Good (VG).

“I never imagined that the classification inspection would be so positive, the interaction with the classifier was hugely educational for both myself and my father. It bolsters you with encouragement to continue progressing and improving the herd.”

In pursuing his formal agricultural education and training, Seamus attended both Mountbellew Agricultural College, Co. Galway, and Ballyhaise College, Co. Cavan - graduating with a Level 6 Advanced Certificate in Agriculture Dairy Herd Management qualification from Teagasc.

In 2022 he will calve-in 40 pedigree registered cows, all spring calving, as well as carrying all the female youngstock as breeding replacements for the future.

Grading Up to Pedigree

Following IHFA membership and the registration of the Drimneene prefix, Seamus subsequently availed of the Grade Up service as the next logical step.

Thanks to the foresight of his father, Patrick, the herd had accumulated a solid Holstein Friesian base built up over decades. In 1978, Patrick commenced dairy farming on the home farm with the purchase of six in-calf Friesian heifers from Tom Storan, Doorlass herd, Croom, Co. Limerick. He subsequently expanded the herd from within aided by individual purchases from both the Creva and Corrib herds.

Pedigree Registration - An Educated Choice

Enthusiastic and keen young farmer beginning dairying career joins IHFA and avails of both Grade Up and Classification services

Influential international AI sires of that era were used extensively in the herd, including Barold Rock Seal VG and Hanoverhill Lieutenant EX. The herd is essentially entirely home bred, steeped in Holstein Friesian genetics over forty years and investing in all AI breeding along the way to avail of the breed’s top sires.

The level of recorded Holstein Friesian breeding records accumulated over the years eased the grade up process. Seamus comments “Grading up the herd was a very streamlined and straight forward experience. The grade up print-out for the herd, downloaded from the database, captured all the records amassed, tracing back to the 1970s when the herd was commissioned.

“The format of the herd print-out is an intriguing representation of cow families breeding through the generations. The IHFA field staff personnel then took care of processing the data, I had no additional work to do.

“Shortly afterwards I received my IHFA folder in the post, full of herdbook registration certificates for all the cows, heifers and followers. The heritage of the Drimneene herd is now officially captured in the herdbook and it hopefully sets in stone a legacy for herd development into the future”.

Conformation Classification Service

Keen to again take the next logical step forward having graded up, Seamus requested a Classification inspection visit for the herd.

“As a first timer, classification was very new to me. Besides having a broad concept that VG and EX scores are the top conformation grades possible, my understanding of classification was limited.

“I requested the inspection visit because I wanted to see what was involved and I was curious to find out if the service would be of benefit. It turned out to be one of the most enjoyable days. Both Dad and I learned so much practical information.

“27 animals in total were scored including all of the heifers. Every animal, including the six heifers, all scored 80 points and above (GP - Good Plus).

“The classifier on the day was John Kirby. He was most helpful in taking the time to thoroughly go through the linear scoring process, explaining the individual traits and how the scale of 1 to 9 is applied depending on the functionality observed. After a while learning from John both my Dad and I were gradually on the same wavelength as more and more cows were scored.

“When two of the oldest cows were awarded EX (Excellent), I was bowled over. We never imagined that within the herd we’d have cows good enough to attain the top conformation grade.

“Essentially you learn more about your own cows. Classification adds a deeper layer of interest to breeding and to cow families in particular. I now look forward to applying the knowledge gleamed from the classification visit by informing breeding decisions further especially around sire selection.

“Where young genomic sires are selected on the basis of their predicted proofs, I will have a distinct preference for the cohort of young sires who are bred from dams and grand dams scored to a high standard of conformation”.

Drimneene Cows Classified Excellent (EX) on conformation, both in their 5th lactation • Drimneene HYZ Harper EX90 5th with EX91 Mammary • Drimneene NFT Lisa EX90 with EX92 Legs &

Feet

Erle Family prominence through the Generations

There is a distinct Culkeen familial linkage with the Erle family. Hanoverhill Starbuck EX daughter C H C Star Erle, bred from three generations of VG/EX dams, a remnant of early Holstein breeding in Ireland from the late 1980s was jointly owned by Galway Mayo based triumvirate John Cunnane, Matt Healy and Mick Culkeen – brother of Patrick and uncle of Seamus. was an offering of frozen embryos included in the sale catalogue. Taking a punt on a novel purchase at the time, Patrick purchased four frozen embryos descending from C H C Star Erle. The legacy of the Erle family and Mick’s involvement is borne through in the herd today where there are currently 4 VG and 2 GP Erles in the milking herd with 12 members in total including youngstock.

Two VG Erles in the herd include Drimneene AFD Erle VG87 and Drimneene AFD Erle 565 VG85, full sisters from Gomez Lee twin daughters of a Hairy Breiz sired daughter of foundation dam C H C Star Erle.

Investing in Genetics

With renewed interest and vigour in breeding since beginning to farm full time, Seamus has recently added some select purchases to the herd. Ardnasalem Mon Rosina, bred by Patrick and Karl Colton, has classified VG85 two year old. Monamore Roxy 69 and Monamore Darlene 224 are two in-calf heifers recently purchased who will hopefully be among the crop of heifers successfully joining the Drimneene milking herd in 2022.

100% AI breeding continues to be used across the herd. The list of recently used AI sires includes Hillsdale Mo Salah (FR5704), Delaberge Pepper VG (S2049), Progenesis Reg (FR6664), Progenesis Moose (FR4751), Claynook Barolo SG (S3619), Sandy-Valley I Batman (S3462).

The Drimneene herd is all Spring calving. Herd size will be 40 cows next year.