Irish Tractor September 2015

New Cover copy 6_Layout 1 26/08/2015 14:51 Page 1

€2.95 Stg£2.50

September 2015 Vol. 3 No. 8

Keith Allen Agricultural Contractor Alfie Byrne

Agricultural Contractor

John & Sylvia Powell

PJK Structural Steel Ltd.

Kill Agricultural Services

35_Layout 1 14/11/2014 11:21 Page 1

tractor contents designed_Layout 1 26/08/2015 14:53 Page 1

2 Agri News

Contents Irish Tractor & Agri is published by DG Press, Kells Business Park, Kells, Co. Meath Telephone: (046) 9241923 Fax: (046) 9241926 e mail: contact@lynngroupmedia.com

6

48

52

78

Greenhill Fruit Farm One of Ireland’s premier fruit farms

Barry Farming/ J, P & C De Barra Contracting Ltd. Farming has always been a way of life

John Thorne & Sons Mixed farming enterprise that specialise in parsnip and potato production

Lawrence McNamee Donegal representative to IFA Dairy Committee

10 Keith Allen Agricultural Contractor

56 Raymond Moloney Plant & Agri Hire

14 Edenmore Farm

59 Stuart Crawford

20 years in business

Growing and packing a wide variety of the finest potatoes for over 40 years

17 Alfie Byrne Agricultural Contracting Ltd. A loyal and efficient service

22 J & TJ Townley

Synonymous with the agri contracting sector since the 1960’s

25 John & Sylvia Powell

Milking 220 cows on their farm outside Birr

30 Michael O’Riordan Livestock Transport Involved in livestock haulage since 1948

34 Kelly Bros

Wide range of top quality services

37 Michael Murphy

Beef Farmer of the Year

40

Kill Agricultural Services

Glowing reputation with a friendly approach and quality of service

44 M Beattie & Son Ltd.

Providing a superb animal feeds/general merchants service for over six and a half decades

Putting the customer first

County Antrim based horse trainer

62 Walter Moroney Agri Contractor

Renowned for his excellent round baling service

65 PJK Structural Steel Ltd.

One of the leading suppliers of steel frame buildings

68 Crowe’s Farm

Producers of premium bacon, beef and turkey products

70 Lir Agri

Producers of high quality dairy hygiene products

72 Peter & Margaret Keane A successful dairy enterprise

75 Mid-Ulster Dairy Services

A complete service to dairy farmers across Northern Ireland

81 Clandeboye Estate

Well known for its award winning herd of Holstein & Jersey cows

tractor news designed_Layout 1 26/08/2015 11:39 Page 1

WANT TO SEE YOUR STORY FEATURED ON THESE PAGES? Then get in touch with us at contact@lynngroupmedia.com

John Deere launch new W and T-Series combines for 2016

Featuring new Stage IV compliant PSS engines with more power and lower engine speeds, John Deere’s new W and T-Series combines have been comprehensively redesigned for the 2016 harvest season.

Many components have been changed to achieve the best straw walker combine performance possible. The combination of the largest active separation area on the market and an enlarged cleaning shoe area will New combines from John Deere enable operators to achieve an increase in output of up to 15 per cent, says the company.

Other class leading features include the fastest unloading rate and header conversion for different crops; exclusive 40kph top speed and track options; and the latest FarmSight precision farming developments with ConnectedCombine and MyJohnDeere.com.

On both ranges, the design changes provide increased separation capacityeven under tough and wet harvesting conditions.

Featuring a sieve area of more than 6m2, the redesigned cleaning shoe is now among the largest in its class. Tests have shown that the combines can now operate at a high performance level with low losses across a wider range of fan settings.

This makes it easier to get the maximum out of the combine with minimal losses, even for less experienced operators.

The unloading rate of up to 125 litres/sec allows an 11,000-litre capacity grain tank to be emptied in less than 90 seconds.

The new 600X Series combine header can also be converted from barley to rape harvesting in just three minutes, while the rape knife features a quick coupler for faster conversion. In addition, John Deere’s new quick-engage Booster Bar is a rasp bar that can be swung into the crop flow in less than three minutes in situations where more aggressive threshing is required, for example in barley.

The ConnectedCombine package is designed to enable operators to get the maximum performance out of the harvester, to adjust it properly and manage the recorded data with the support of GPS. AutoTrac hands-free steering allows the driver to concentrate on combine adjustments, while Interactive Combine Adjustment (ICA) helps with the optimisation of machine settings. If required, Remote Display Access (RDA) connects the operator to a dealer specialist on the go, giving access to 24/7 product support and training.

Machine data such as fuel consumption, yield maps and area harvested on multiple fields can be transmitted via wireless data transfer (WDT) to the safe online web portal MyJohnDeere.com. Here an operator can view or download data instantly, as it is updated automatically on the move.

Further data processing with agronomic software packages is also possible, while JDLink allows fleet management logistics to be optimised for greater efficiency and productivity.

John Deere’s larger S-Series combines for 2016 will feature Stage IV engines with the same industry leading diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) consumption of only one to three per cent. A 40kph transmission option will also be available, in combination with ProDrive.

In addition, the smaller W330 combine can now be specified with the AutoTrac Universal automatic guidance system, as can the W440 and W440PTC models, which also have the option of electric sieve adjustment.

2

IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

tractor news designed_Layout 1 26/08/2015 11:39 Page 2

New Zetor & Merlo models to debut at National Ploughing Championships

Keith Allen Agricultural Contractor

The new Zetor Crystal tractor and Merlo medium duty Turbofarmer Specialise In telehandler will be amongst the crowdpulling exhibits to feature on the Slurry/Dung Spreading McHale Plant Sales’ stand at the Silage | Tillage forthcoming National Ploughing Championships.

Sowing etc The Zetor Crystal – a model that Drumgreeny, Stranooden, Co. Monaghan revives a popular name from Zetor’s historic past – will be available here in Tel:042-9744555 144hp and 163hp versions. Powered Mobile:086-2744070 by a 24-valve Deutz engine with E:keithallencontractor@gmail.com common rail injection, it brings Zetor into the high-performance segment with a value-to-price specifications package that McHale sales director John O’Brien notes ‘will see Zetor competing toe-totoe against the big brands’.

Features include 30/30 forward/ reverse transmission, three-stage torque multiplier, extended wheelbase, a more spacious, more silent, suspended cab with sunroof and new trade mark red wheels.

From Merlo, all eyes will be on the new medium-duty TF35.7 Turbofarmer range. Machine of the Year title winner, the TF35.7 is claimed by Merlo to be the only model in its category to offer an effective 3,500kg lift capacity at a height of 7-metres.

Available with a mouth-watering range of driver comfort, operational and safety features, it is powered by a 122hp, 4-cylinder Euro Tier 4/Stage 3B compliant engine. On show with it will be a Roto version that - with its spider feet stabilisers and cranelike reach - is gaining huge favour amongst construction users.

Remembering also their role as Komatsu distributors – whose WA320-7 wheel loader is proving especially popular agricultural, quarrying and construction users alike – the McHale Plant Sales line-up will also include a PC55 and PC138 short-tail excavator.

The Merlo medium duty Turbofarmer telehandler IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

3

tractor news designed_Layout 1 26/08/2015 11:39 Page 3

Advanced engines power new MF Activa combines from Massey Ferguson

Massey Ferguson is launching two new combines for the 2016 season – the new MF 7340 Activa combine, which is powered by the latest, highly advanced four cylinder engine and the six cylinder powered, MF 7344 Activa.

The MF Activa 7340 combine is powered by the latest and most advanced 176hp, AGCO Power 4.9 litre, four cylinder engine, employing pioneering engine technology to boost power density. This enables the four cylinder engine to deliver unrivalled performance to improve efficiency and economy.

“It’s been a long time since a combine has been powered by a four cylinder engine,” says Adam Sherriff, Manager Marketing Massey Ferguson. “This offers the operating benefits of a six cylinder, but in a lighter, MF Activa combines smaller package.”

The large displacement, 4.9 litre four valve/cylinder engine features Fourth Generation common rail fuel injection and controls and employs maintenance free SCR technology to meet the latest emissions standards with low fuel consumption.

With the engine comes a new CANbus linked control panel in the cab. This colour screen shows a range of engine and combine operating information.

A new ‘sectional’ concave, which can be changed through the stone trap, further improves the versatile combine’s harvest quality in a range of crops. This allows operators to quickly and easily switch the front section of the concave to, for example, a wider maize unit without the need to remove the elevator.

The new MF Activa 7344, which replaces the MF Activa 7244 is now available with the option of a 5.5m wide PowerFlow header. This brings the benefits of this output enhancing cutterbar to users of smaller combines, providing unparalleled performance in oilseed rape, while improving cutting and output in a wide range of crops.

“PowerFlow is proven to boost output by up to 73% in oilseed rape, 15% in wheat and 12% in barley. It is also particularly useful in difficult conditions, helping farmers secure more of their harvest, more quickly,” explains Mr Sherriff.

The existing range of FreeFlow cutterbars, with Terra control auto-levelling option, is still available in widths from 4.2m to 6.6m.

The five straw-walker MF Activa 7344 is powered by a new advanced 218hp AGCO Power 7.4 litre, six cylinder engine. This durable, fuel efficient and powerful engine is set to precisely deliver the torque and response required for efficient performance when combine harvesting.

The new MF Activa 7344 also benefits from the same drum and concave with independent adjustment as the MF Activa 7340.

It also benefits from the Active Rear Beater Concave, for optimum threshing in a wide variety of crops and conditions.

The combine harvester features the same new, multi-function lever and terminal as the MF Activa 7340 and is topped off with new styling. This follows the Massey Ferguson Combine family feel with a new cab roof, grey upper part and a new rear straw hood. A wider flanged Rockinger trailer hitch is another new option.

New Holland construction equipment now available through selected agricultural dealers From 1st August, the New Holland range of construction equipment is available through a selection of New Holland’s extensive network of agricultural dealers.

Over 20 agricultural dealers from across the UK and Ireland have signed-up to supply New Holland’s construction equipment with more dealers being added to the list in the coming months.

The range of construction equipment now available includes New Holland’s range of five Skid Steer Loaders, three Backhoe Loaders, three Wheel Loaders and eight Mini Excavators.

In addition, a series of different attachments and parts, which can be added to this equipment, will be available through the dealers, to fully exploit its versatility.

4

New Holland construction equipment is available through agricultural dealers IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

tractor news designed_Layout 1 26/08/2015 11:39 Page 4

New RB150 baler helps increase throughput for Scottish contractor

Within weeks of acquiring an RB150 New Holland baler, Scottish agricultural contractor Sandy Munro is convinced that his work-rate has increased significantly. Sandy Munro runs a family business which specialises in round baling silage, hay and straw as well as grass reseeding.

From mid-June to mid-September Sandy will bale hay, straw and silage across nearly 1,500 acres of land in the north of Scotland and west coast of Scotland including the western isles. This will amount to 4,000 bales of silage, 3,000 bales of hay and 2,000 bales of straw.

New RB150 baler In order to get through this high workload, Sandy needs a reliable, efficient baler that can complete his jobs with minimal hassle and disruption. Despite only having the RB150 baler for three to four weeks, Sandy is already impressed with how the machine is performing.

Sandy says: “With the RB150 I completed 118 bales in one hour without pushing the machine too hard, so straight away I was really impressed. This was an improvement on previous balers which were completing around 108 to 112 in the hour.”

The new RB150 balers have advanced roll belt technology that can improve capacity by up to 20 per cent and density by up to five per cent. This allows farmers and contractors, such as Sandy, to work fields faster and be more efficient.

New Holland Intellisteer™ PLM helps remove over two tonnes of metal after Glastonbury Festival

The IntelliSteer™ smart guidance system from New Holland is helping ensure that 900 dairy cows and 135,000 revellers at the Glastonbury Festival can use the same fields without providing a serious risk to the cattle.

Worthy Farm, the home of the world renowned Glastonbury Festival, is home to 900 dairy cows and 300 followers (heifers). However, when the At work in Glastonbury Festival ends the 1000 acre site is covered with waste including over two tonnes of metal which needs to be recovered.

This is achieved with a powerful magnet, front-mounted on a New Holland T7.235, with the search for metal being enhanced by the use of New Holland IntelliSteer™. Effectively clearing the fields of metal rubbish is vital for the dairy herd who will often graze on the site within three or so weeks after the festival has ended. Removing metal with help from the IntelliSteer™ system has reduced the incidence of cows ingesting metal by around 90 per cent.

Michael Eavis CBE, owner of Worthy Farm and founder of the Glastonbury Festival, still maintains an active interest in running the farm and describes the magneting operation as “one of the most important things that has been implemented during the past 15 years”. He says: “The magneting operation is very important for the day-to-day running of the farm.

Anything left from the festival could potentially get into the cows’ feed so we do all we can to prevent this.”

WANT TO SEE YOUR STORY FEATURED ON THESE PAGES? Then get in touch with us at contact@lynngroupmedia.com IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

5

Greenhill Fruit Farm designed_Layout 1 25/08/2015 11:11 Page 1

Greenhill Fruit Farm is very much a family business.

G

Superior flavoured fruit, consistently

reenhill Fruit Farm is a family-run fruit growing enterprise based near Enniscorthy in County Wexford.

Founder / proprietor Eamon Crean prides himself on providing customers with superior-tasting fruit that is of a consistently-high quality. This is why Greenhill is widely recognised as one of Ireland’s premier fruit farms. We met up with Eamon to find out more.

delicious fruit somewhere on your travels. offer the freshest, highest quality produce If you did, you’ll probably remember … it’d on the market. be impossible not to be impressed!

All Greenhill’s fruit is grown in Greenhill Fruit Farm’s aim is to provide the best fruit farm produce available in CONTACT DETAILS Ireland and make it available to the public - at affordable prices. This fruit – Greenhill Fruit Farm, strawberries, raspberries and Ballinavary, blackberries are farmed using traditional Davidstown, methods, i.e. in the soil of the south-east Enniscorthy, coast, resulting in a splendid sweet taste.

County Wexford.

The fruit is fully protected from the Tel: 053 9247556 elements, which guarantees a Fax: 053 9247556 consistently high quality, while all fruit is Mobile: 086 8257389 Chances are you know Greenhill Fruit picked on a daily basis which allows Email: info@greenhillfruitfarm.com Farm; chances are you’ve tasted their founder Eamon Crean and his team to

6

IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

Greenhill Fruit Farm designed_Layout 1 25/08/2015 11:11 Page 2

accordance with the Bord Bia quality assured system and is also HACCP-approved. They are one of the only Bord Biaapproved fruit farms in the south east growing fruit the traditional way. Although it costs more to produce fruit in this method, the range is offered at no extra cost.

Eamon has almost 30 years’ experience in the fruit industry.

Reflecting on how he initially became involved, he recalls: “I started selling fruit 26 years ago, when I was 17, having grown up on a dairy farm with 120 cows. My mother was an English of Adamstown and her father, Tom English, who started in the early 1950s, would have been one of the first men in Wexford to grow strawberries. My mother would have spoken a lot about her years picking fruit and that’s where I got my interest from.

Greenhill Fruit Farm delivers produce of a consistently high quality.

There’s so much you can do with high quality, tasty, fresh fruit

The fruit is protected from the elements and picked daily

IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

Tom’s son, Paddy, started a nursery and another son, Tom Jnr., has taken that over”.

“How I started out when I was 17 was that I was living on £30 a week, which was a typical farmer’s wage, and I wanted more money to socialise. So I started to buy and sell fruit at the side of the road at weekends. I realised that supermarkets were unable to access good quality fruit so I went into partnership with my brother John, growing fruit ourselves, which we then sold on the roadside. In ’07, I went out on my own and founded Greenhill Fruit Farm”.

“It’s very much a family business. My wife Deirdre, who also does part-time nursing, is involved in the running of the business, as are my five daughters, who range in age from six to sixteen. It takes a huge team effort and we all work together to make the business work.”

It’s also a multinational effort, as Eamon – an equal opportunities employer - reveals: “Our manager is Romanian and our chief grower is Bulgarian. Or junior grower and our head foreman (who’s also my first cousin) are Irish, as are the maintenance crew and some of the pack-house people. The rest of them, and all the pickers, are European.

“Nearly half of our staff would be involved in marketing as twothirds of our fruit is sold directly to businesses – to local shops and hotels in surrounding counties and to multinationals in Dublin.

“We also employ a lot of Irish students, who sell on our roadside stalls. We sell fruit on the roadside in many counties and that’s still our main outlet. But we know we are only as good as our last punnet and we are under no illusions whatsoever about the importance of quality. That’s why I put my mobile number on every punnet sold and listen to feedback from every customer.”

The soft fruit industry is a massive employer and Eamon estimates that labour accounts for 50% of turnover. During the peak summer months, he employs up to 140 people – all this generated from a 20-acre fruit farm in Enniscorthy.

He points out how he came at the whole bringing-a-productto-market challenge from a different perspective than most other fruit growers: “I already had the market,” he notes. “I came at it from a retailer’s point of view. I got into this as a retailer first and then went looking to source a product that I could sell. I found my market first, then set about developing the product. I knew the market was there. I remember setting off to Longford and Roscommon at 5am with a car loaded with strawberries. I knew I could sell them.”

With fruit, nothing is more important than flavour. “When I pick a variety, it will always have a great flavour,” the Wexford man confirms. “From the very beginning, I have enjoyed a close

7

Greenhill Fruit Farm designed_Layout 1 25/08/2015 11:11 Page 3

connection with my customers. I’ve never lost that and this is why my number is on the punnets. I get texts from people all the time and it ensures that you have an emotional connection with the product and with the customers.

I genuinely want to know what people think of my fruit. I have also created a very good team about me and they have been instrumental in the success of the business to date.”

Greenhill’s fruit is available at both People’s Park and Marley Park farmers markets, while restaurants and hotels in Dublin are also supplied through various catering companies. Eamon has been greatly helped in the development of his business by Bord Bia, Teagasc as well Wexford Local Development. He has travelled extensively across Europe and educated himself on all aspects of fruit farming and Irish celebrity chef Donal Skehan provided a shining endorsement of the produce when he visited Greenhill Fruit Farm as part of his Kitchen Hero series, which was broadcast on RTE One on Thursday, December 4th last year.

The roadside fruit selling window is a short one, running from mid-May until the end of August. “It’s a niche market and we sell under an exemption which was granted by the Government. The

The fruit is farmed traditionally … in the soil of the sunny south-east

roadside tradition is a valuable second market for growers” the Wexford man notes.

“There is a huge tradition of roadside selling in Wexford and there is also a strong tradition of people who continue to buy the product.”

Eamon Crean stands over every single piece of fruit he sells

8

Each punnet sold is as fresh as it possibly can be: “What’s picked today, you will get it tomorrow. We pick it, chill it, put it on a lorry and travel overnight before loading it on vans for sale the next morning. The vans then bring the fruit to the various roadside locations,” says Eamon, who is also an agent for Wexford Potatoes.

Greenhill’s fruit is renowned nationwide for its great taste. “We produce 60% of the strawberries in the soil in Wexford, which gives a unique flavour to the fruit.

90% of fruit in Ireland is now produced using hydroponics, whereas we create the perfect atmosphere to produce a product that is exceptional every day, in tunnels that are four metres high, eight metres wide and 100 metres long.”

Eamon produces five varieties of strawberry, three varieties of raspberry and two varieties of blackberry.

“Strawberries are like people – they don’t like to be worked,” he quips. “They love 20 degrees, but don’t like it too hot.

Wexford has very high light levels and is an excellent place to grow fruit.

“But fruit farming is not for everyone. It requires a big commitment because it’s seasonal and you have to make a lot of sacrifices. It takes a big commitment from a lot of people to create a consistent product. Consistency is vital, as is flavour.

“You have to impress your customers.

Your clients have to trust you. There aren’t a huge amount of fruit farms left in Ireland and we are only here because of the support of the Irish people – no market, no fruit farm.”

IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

Greenhill Fruit Farm designed_Layout 1 25/08/2015 11:11 Page 4

Best Wishes & Continued Success To

Greenhill Fruit Farm From

37 Seagoe Industrial Estate, Craigavon, Co. Armagh, Northern Ireland BT63 5QE Tel: (028) 3839 1723 Fax: (028) 3839 1356 · Tray Sealing Equipment · Soft Fruit Punnets · Automatic Label Applicators · On line coding equipment · Plain and printed lidding films · Checkweighing, Metal Detection & X-ray equipment · Mulithead weighing solutions · Smoothwall Foil Trays · Food grade Stretch film · R-PET/PET/PP and EPS Food Grade Trays

www.jmcpackaging.co.uk

Best Wishes & Continued Success To Greenhill Fruit Farm From

Naturally Cordial Ltd.

Best Wishes To Greenhill Fruit Farm From

Using Irish raspberries, blackcurrants and cranberries in their fantastic tasting cordials.

Lemon & Raspberry (Blas na hEireann Finalist 2014) Wexford Blackcurrant Cranberry & Orange Lemon &Lime Orange &Lemon Pink Grapefruit

IRISH &

AGRI

Call Barry About Advertising 00353 (0) 46 9241923 IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

Best Wishes To Greenhill Fruit Farm BALLYCROSS APPLE FARM LTD. Bridgetown, Co. Wexford Tel: +353 (0)53 913 5160 Fax: + 353 (0)53 917 5852 Email: info@ballycross.com www.ballycross.com 9

keith allen designed_Layout 1 25/08/2015 11:07 Page 1

Keith and his team operate top of the range machinery

Allen Agri leads the way T

he silage season is upon as many farmers keep their fingers crossed for a dry spell of weather so that they can get their pits filled and covered, ready for the winter feed.

The majority of farmers rely on contractors to come in and get the job done as efficiently and as quickly as possible. The role of the contractor has

CONTACT DETAILS

Keith Allen Agricultural Contractor Conor Meegan stands beside his Ferguson 7618 and Dinny Allen at his Ferguson 6480

10

Ballybay, Co Monaghan.

IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

keith allen designed_Layout 1 25/08/2015 11:07 Page 2

changed dramatically over the years as technology has seen machinery advance to new levels.

These days a medium sized farm can be ‘wiped out’ in a day or two as contractors operate state of the art machinery. One such contractor in Co Monaghan is Ballybay based Keith Allen Agricultural Contracts who during his 20 years in business has built up a customer base that covers not only his home county but that of Meath, Louth and Cavan also.

Keith hails from a farming background and this allows him to understand the needs of his customers as he provides a wide range of services throughout the year.

“We are 20 years on the go now and the customer base has grown a lot over the years. A lot of our customers would have huge farms and in order for us to get through the workload, we have two outfits going during the silage season,” said Keith whose nephew Stephen has come on board as a business partner in recent times.

To carry out his duties, Keith revealed that they have an extensive fleet of machinery that is upgraded on a regular basis.

“You have to keep up to date with the latest machinery otherwise you will be left behind in this game. We have added a lot of machinery to the fleet this year and last year which includes the purchase of two JCB loaders, a 435S and a 418S, which were bought from ECI in Dublin.

“We have 16 tractors in total, the majority of which are Masseys and Fendts. The Masseys are bought from Breslanstown, Drumconrath, Co. Meath Tel: (041) 6854064 www.ardeediesel.ie Email: ardeedieselservices@gmail.com Email: info@ardeediesel.ie

We repair the full range of Common rail injectors for Fords, John Deeres etc

Supply all suction control Valves, Pressure valves and all Common Rail related items and Fuel filters

Best Wishes To Keith Allen Agri Contractor

IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

Two JCB loaders are used for backing up silage

Stephen Allen prepares for work

involved, but his brother Jim is too while Martin’s in Bailieborough, Co Cavan, while the Fendts come from Alan Milne’s Keith’s wife Shirley looks after the books. in Newry Co Down.

Their 17-year-old son Mark also helps “I’ve been dealing with them for 20 out and Keith is hopeful that one day he years now and they both provide a good service. I would be doing business with them on a regular basis.”

This year alone saw Keith add a new loader, new harvester, three new tractors and two new trailers to the fleet and he acknowledges the fact that Best Wishes To there are plenty of Keith Allen Agri Contractor overheads in the industry.

“You have to speculate to accumulate in this game.

The machinery is a necessity and even though it is very expensive, a lot of it has a good second hand value.”

Keith Allen Agri Contracts is very much a family affair as not only is his nephew Stephen

11

keith allen designed_Layout 1 25/08/2015 11:07 Page 3

Best Wishes To Keith Allen Agri Contractor

MAIN MASSEY FERGUSON TRACTOR DEALER.

Cavan Road, Bailieboro, Co. Cavan Tel:0429665147 Fax :0429666193 Sales team: Oliver 0872201296 or Ronnie 0862506462. www.martinsgarage.ie www.masseyparts.ie

Lubrication Solutions For Every Market Sector

GEM OILS LTD.

Tel: (049) 4378116 Email: sales@gemoils.ie www.gemoils.ie

Lakeland Farm Machinery Ltd Best Wishes To Keith Allen Agri Contractor

Moraghy, Castleblayney, Co. Monaghan Tel: 042-9740146 Best Wishes To Keith Allen Agri Contractor

Best Wishes To Keith Allen Agri Contractor From

Best Wishes To Keith Allen Agri Contractor, From

Carricknashoke, Tullyco, Cootehill, Co. Cavan T: 049- 4330202 | F: 049-4323732 M: 086- 8389865 E: joebradycontractors@eircom.net

• Silage & Maize Cutting • Ploughing & Reseeding • Slurry Spreading Via Tank & Pipe System • Round Baling, Hedge Cutting • Tractor & Dump Trailer Hire Range From 6 Ton to 22 Ton • Bulk Haulage, Heavy Haulage, Tipper Hire Plant Hire Including • Range Of Excavators From 3 Ton To 35 Ton With Rock Breakers • Land Drainage & Mould Ploughing • Dozers Hire Including P65 and D8 & Ripper • Sile Clearance • All Ground Work • Concrete & Shuttering Works

Best Wishes To Keith Allen Agri Contractor, From

FARM, CAR, BUSINESS,PHARMACY & TRAVEL INSURANCE Dundalk Branch: 042-9359000 Navan Branch: 046-9021855 Monaghan Branch: 047-64998 www.oci.ie O’Callaghan Insurances Ltd T/A O’Callaghan Insurances, Quoteme.ie and Quoteline, is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland

12

IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

keith allen designed_Layout 1 25/08/2015 11:07 Page 4

could take over the business. Keith’s late brother Samuel was also involved when the business was first established.

Aside from the silage, Keith and his team also work on spreading slurry and to do this, they use the revolutionary new umbilical system which sees pipes run from the tanks out to the land.

“We have four pipe systems in operation and we can get through 35,000 litres of slurry an hour, which far exceeds what we could do the old way.”

Also operated are three maize planters which are kept busy during that period of the year when the crop is sown.

Reseeding and ploughing are also other services provided, while digger work is carried out for local farmers as well as

There are 16 tractors in the fleet

some GAA grounds.

“We do a bit of drainage work and some gravel moulding for farmers and at GAA pitches. This helps keep us busy for most of the year, but, of course, the winter months are a bit slacker.”

Keith revealed that they farm 145 acres which is stocked with beef and sheep as the lamb down 350 ewes every year.

They also have their own tanker that draws slurry from farms and piggeries, while they also sell meal for Kiernan Milling in Granard.

“I am a sales rep for Kiernan’s and I’ve been doing that for a few years now, which works out very well for us and them.”

Keith added that his employees

deserve great credit for the experience and effort they bring to their jobs as he admitted that they really came through for him a few years back.

“I fell ill in 2009 and credit to the workers they kept the business going.

Without them none of this would be possible and special thanks must go to Derek Moffett and Ciaran Sherry. I’ll always be grateful for their support.”

On a final note, Keith thanked his customers for their support over the years. “A lot of our customers are with us for many years now and I’d like to thank them for their support. We give a good service and they are accustomed to that, so it is up to us to ensure we continue that for many years to come.”

Massey and Fendt are the preferred choice of tractor IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

13

Edenmore Farms designed_Layout 1 25/08/2015 10:56 Page 1

Edenmore Farm grows the tastiest potatoes

E

denmore Farm has taken great pride in growing and packing a wide variety of the finest potatoes for over 40 years.

Located in the heart of the River Lagan Valley, the family business’ aim is to deliver an affordable, well-presented local product and a high standard with traditional great tasting varieties.

The Lilburn name has been synonymous with the Northern Ireland potato industry since 1973 when fatherand-son William and Brian Lilburn set up W&B Lilburn in Craigavon, Co. Armagh.

14

As well as supplying potatoes to local Lilburn explains. shops, they supplied Paul Quinn who was “We now look after the packing and behind the famous Farmer Brown’s crisp distribution ourselves. We supply to local brand.

SuperValu and Centra stores, Total After the contract with Farmer Browns’ ended in 1991, W&B Lilburn secured a new contract with local potato packers CONTACT DETAILS Wilson’s Country which continued until three years ago when the family decided Edenmore Farm to take a different approach. They 36 Taughlumny Road, decided to pack and distribute the Donacloney, potatoes themselves and rebranded the Craigavon, business Edenmore Farm.

BT66 7NX “We put our own vans and lorries on the Telephone: 028 9261 1361 road and in doing so, cut out the middle Email: info@edenmorefarm.co.uk man,” sales and marketing manager Scott IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

Edenmore Farms designed_Layout 1 25/08/2015 10:56 Page 2

Produce and directly to other private retailers from small supermarkets, butchers and farm shops. Research into what customers wanted from the potato was key. Traditional varieties with traditional weights at affordable prices, aided with designs and branding that targeted modern day housewife but not disengaging with existing customers.”

While Brian and William are still involved in the family business, Scott and his brother and farm manager Dryw oversee operations these days.

Like their father and grandfather before them, the brothers have a passion for growing potatoes.

Employing four full-time staff, Edenmore Farm grows thousands of tonnes of quality potatoes each year on 180 acres of mostly rented land in the River Lagan Valley. The Lilburn’s also grow barley, wheat and fodder beet. They pack about 30 tonnes of potatoes each week.

The Irish know their potatoes better than anyone, so the Lilburn’s take great pride in the care and skill with which they grow their spuds. They give their potatoes all the attention they need to ensure they arrive on the consumer’s plate in prime condition. Edenmore Farm strives to provide the highest quality potatoes which meet the standards of the consumer, while being mindful of the environment. Their passion for producing the best keeps them focused and promotes continuous improvement.

The Lilburn’s grow and harvest the potatoes themselves.

D Thompson CONTRACTING SPECIALISE IN SELF-PROPELLED SILAGE CUTTING, SLURRY SPREADING, LARGE BALING & ALL CULTIVATING WORK

Telephone: 0044-07850555524 Best Wishes To Edenmore Farm

59 Ballylough Rd., Donaghcloney, Craigavon, Co. Armagh BT66 7PQ

IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

The Lilburn's have 12 different lines of potatoes, including Maris Piper, Queen's and Roosters

They run five tractors and various other equipment, including a Grimme self-propelled potato harvester, destoner, sprayer, fertiliser spreader and rotavator.

Once harvested, the potatoes are brought back to the packhouse where they are washed, polished, graded and packed.

What distinguishes Edenmore Farm’s potatoes from competitors (apart from their unrivalled taste!) in Northern Ireland is their paper pack. The potatoes come in 2kg, 2.5kg and 5kg branded ‘lift and go’ paper bags which make them stand out from the rest.

“Unlike in Southern Ireland, it’s unusual for potatoes to be packed in paper bags here in the North,” Scott says.

“We changed our packaging from plastic to paper in 2014 because we believe the paper bag appeals more to the younger generation. Also, potatoes in paper packs are not exposed to light, so there is no discolouration or sweating and big key in keeping new season potatoes fresh, when skin is still soft. We haven’t turned our backs on plastic bags completely – we still have potatoes available in 1kg and 2.5kg plastic bags because it what some people are used to.”

The cycle begins for Edenmore Farm in February when planting of ‘early’ potatoes takes place. This is followed by harvesting between the months of June and November. In between, the potatoes are sprayed regularly to control and prevent the spread of potato blight, which can wipe out a crop overnight.

The Lilburn’s have 12 different lines of potatoes. These include Maris Piper, Rooster, Queen’s, Accord, Navan and

RUTLEDGE tracts Con

Catering For All Your Agri Contracting Needs

Ballinderry, Co. Antrim Tel:0044 07720888818 Email: rutledgecontracts@hotmail.co.uk Continued Best Wishes To Edenmore Farm

15

Edenmore Farms designed_Layout 1 25/08/2015 10:56 Page 3

Saxon. Maris Piper has a pleasant floury texture and is ideal for many potato dishes from chips and roast potatoes to mash and wedges.

Red-skinned, yellow-fleshed, easy to cook any way and hardy, Roosters are the most widely grown potato in Ireland which are traditionally harvested from August through November, and in recent years have become more popular in NI. Queen’s are a mainstay of the summer with their white skin and flesh, excellent floury texture and beautiful taste. They can be used for boiling, steaming, roasting and chipping. Accord is a waxy, early variety which is good for potato wedges, while Navan have a floury texture and are extremely versatile. Saxon, meanwhile, is a white variety with a creamy flavour which is suitable for boiling, mashing or wedges.

Edenmore Farm also testing a variety of salad potatoes and has recently started producing Bellamondo yellow skin potatoes suitable for baking or chips. In addition, they stock Cyprus potatoes during the off-season and have a new line of 1kg Baker’s on the way and babies in print.

Since rebranding their business three years ago, the Lilburn’s have placed a big emphasis on marketing their products and highlighting the benefits of potatoes.

“We have worked hard on the marketing side and on building brand

potatoes is on the rise again.”

Scott runs a separate business called Agri-tune. Formed in 2008, Agri-tune specialises in agricultural tuning which grew from the rise in tractors being released with ECU’s (engine control units) with Ben Logan managing UK & Scotland, Andrew Lacey managing the Republic of Ireland and Rhys Lilburn managing Northern Ireland.

The Agri-tune programmes are designed and tailored to suit the required job of the vehicles with power the customers wants without compromising the lifespan of the vehicle. The gains are around an extra 30-50hp along with 150-450 Ibf-ft of torque, while improving fuel economy by saving 6 litres an hour. Adblue, DPF’s and EGR’s can also be removed from the tractors software via the remapping process. awareness,” Scott continues.

“There is a perception that potatoes take too long to prepare compared to pasta and rice, but that’s not the case at all. It’s also a misconception to say that potatoes are fattening.

“They are nutritious, healthy and a cheap meal for the family. It has also been proven that they satisfy hunger for longer. They go well with any meal.

There is no down that pasta and rice have made inroads into the market, but there are signs that the consumption of

Edenmore Farm's Grimme potato harvester in action

16

Edenmore Farm changed its packaging to paper last year IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

alfie byrne designed_Layout 1 25/08/2015 10:51 Page 1

The McHale Fusion 3 baler ensures that a lot of bales are baled during a day

F

Reliability is the key for Alfie Byrne

rom a time when everything was hands on, the machinery available in the farming community these days allows agricultural contractors to get through at least ten times as much work on a daily basis.

but there is one thing that cannot be surpassed and that is experience.

Being able to know what a customer wants and giving them the service that they require cannot only be achieved through a modern fleet of machinery.

Agricultural contractors are an integral part of the farming industry and without Agricultural Contractors have benefitted them; many farmers would not be able to greatly from the evolution of technology, get their work done.

There are many overheads in agri contracting as machinery doesn’t come cheap, but in order to carry out their CONTACT DETAILS duties to the highest standard, nothing but the best will do.

Alfie Byrne Agricultural There are many agricultural contractors Contracting Ltd that have been providing a loyal and efficient service to their customers for Crowsgrove, many years, and one of these is Wexford Kildavin, based Alfie Byrne Agricultural Contracting Bunclody, Ltd. Co. Wexford As Agricultural Contractors, Alfie and his IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

staff provide a wide range of services that include all things connected to arable, silage, baling, reseeding, slurry and tillage.

The adverse weather conditions in Ireland mean that the services provided by agricultural contractors are procedures that have great time constraints and can't be achieved at the same time every year, but when we do get ‘dry spells’, it is essential for agricultural contractors to move quickly.

To do this, they need a modern and efficient fleet of machinery that will stand up to the demands of this hectic period.

For many years, Alfie has provided a top quality service to a large customer base as the agricultural contractor built up a reputation for reliability and efficiency.

Having grown up on a farm, Alfie knew what his customers wanted and this helped him no end when it came to

17

alfie byrne designed_Layout 1 25/08/2015 10:51 Page 2

Best Wishes & Continued Success To

Alfie Byrne Agri From

www.kehoebros.ie Camolin,Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford Tel:053-9383255

info@kehoebros.ie Bunclody Road,Tullow, Co. Carlow Tel:059-9149005

WD Rothwell & Co Ltd Best Wishes & Continued Success To Alfie Byrne Agri from

Agricultural Merchants & Suppliers

Bunclody, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford | Tel: 053-9377537 | Email:wdrothwell@eircom.net

Trevor James

AGRICULTURAL CONTRACTING LTD

Killanne, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford T:053-9255108 M: 087-2541878 E: trevorjamesmac@gmail.com Continued Best Wishes To Alfie Byrne Agri 18

DOBBS OIL LTD

Best Wishes & Continued Success To Alfie Byrne Agri, From

Supplier of High Quality Topaz Products AUTO DIESEL | TRACTOR DIESEL | KEROSENE LUBRICATING OILS | SOLID FUEL Industrial Estate, Tullow, Co. Carlow Tel:059-9151323 | E:dobbsoil@eircom.net IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

alfie byrne designed_Layout 1 25/08/2015 10:51 Page 3

The customer base covers Wexford and surrounding counties

attracting new business over the years.

As the business grew, so too did the quality of machinery that Alfie used and today, he has an impressive fleet that is regularly updated.

“We are continuously investing in new machinery and last year, we bought two new tractors, both Fendts and we have a 141 Claas as well as a Valtra. There is an extensive range of machinery here to carry out the services that we provide.

“During the winter months, which is probably our quietest time, we would ensure that all the machinery is maintained and ready for our peak time during the summer months.

A testament to the success of this business is the amount of repeat custom that they have with many of their customers there from the days that Alfie first began cutting silage.

Lacken Machinery supplied a new Valtra

Alfie has almost 30 years’ experience in the business

Broughan and Redrock trailers are used for drawing silage IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

19

alfie byrne designed_Layout 1 25/08/2015 10:51 Page 4

BERNARD BYRNE COMBINES LTD Best Wishes & Continued Success To Alfie Byrne Agri, From All At

THE BIGGEST COMBINE BREAKERS IN IRELAND

BALLYTARSNA, GOREY, CO. WEXFORD | T:087-2250538 T:053-9426390 Email: bernardbyrnecombines@gmail.com

Wishing Continued Success To Alfie Byrne Agri WEXTEC LTD. Tomnalossett, Enniscorthy, Co Wexford.

Douglas Mobile: (086) 2564422 George Mobile: (086) 8131521 Tel: (053) 9236464 Fax: (053) 9236485 E-Mail: wextec@eircom.net www.kiddlubricants.com

JP Byrne & Co. Best Wishes & Continued Success To

W.JAMES TYRES

Best Wishes To Alfie Byrne Agri CALL OUT SERVICE FOR ALL YOUR AGRI NEEDS

Unit 1A, Bunclody Rd., Tullow. Co. Carlow

087-8362331 059-9152787 Continued success to Alfie Byrne Agri, from

Alfie Byrne Agri From

ACCOUNTANTS

ACCOUNTANT -TAXATION FINANCIAL SERVICES Specialising in small business & farming Catering For PAYE & VAT Returns

AGRICULTURAL CONTRACTOR

Carlford House, Carrigduff, Bunclody, Co. Wexford Tel:053-9377027 Mobile: 086-2772633

Forestwood, Clonroche, Co. Wexford Tel: 087-2597372

Best Wishes To Alfie Byrne Agri, From

Wishing Alfie Byrne Agri Continued Success From

For Tractor Parts | Motor Factor Parts Industrial Parts | Workshop Repairs

Concrete Work & Farm Buildings

PJL AGRI.& IND. PARTS SUPPLIERS LTD MACHINERY SALES & PLANT SALES

CALL JOHN J. LUCAS 059-91 81 022 / 059-91 81 024 MOBILE: 087-6259763 20

IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

alfie byrne designed_Layout 1 25/08/2015 10:51 Page 5

“We would have customers that are over 25 years with us. They know that they will get a good service from us and it is up to us to ensure that continues. Also some of the staff is with us many years and they are very experienced, which helps get the work done so efficiently, especially Ywai, Brendan and Pat.” Alfie revealed that the combining is done with a Claas Lexion 560 and Claas Lexion 580 and he prefers to use Broughan and redrock trailers for drawing the grain and silage.

“We would do a lot of business with Keogh Brothers and Kelly’s who I find to be very good to deal with. I’m delighted with the machinery I have here, but the aim is to continuously upgrade in order to keep the fleet fresh.”

Another area that Alfie is keen to progress is baling and he has a 131 McHale Fusion baler that is getting through a lot of work.

“I’d like to get more into the baling and provide the full range of services.

I’m fortunate to have a loyal set of customers, many of who have been with us for years.

“I’d like to thank them for their business and hopefully we can continue to provide a reliable and efficient service that they have been accustomed to.

“We would have the same customer base for many years now and the fact that we provide so many services means that they usually get us in to do more than just silage.”

Alfie customer base not only covers

There is only a small timeframe to get silage done

Experienced drivers are used to operate the fleet

parts of Wexford, but Carlow and Wicklow also and he is hoping that the customer base will continue to grow.

Continued success to Alfie Byrne Agri, from

Slurry spreading is an integral part of the business IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

21

townley designed_Layout 1 25/08/2015 17:01 Page 1

J & TJ Townley cuts up to 4,000 acres of pit silage every summer

O

A cut above the rest

perating from Donaghadee, Co. Down, J & TJ Townley provides a complete agricultural contracting service. The family-run business cuts between 3,500 and 4,000 acres of pit silage each summer and recently took delivery of a new Kuhn triple mower to help with this year’s cuts.

The Townley name has been synonymous with the agri contracting sector since the 1960s when Jim (TJ) Townley started out with a square baler and later progressed to silage and combine work. Following Jim’s death 12 years ago, his son James took over the

22

reins and has continued to service the needs of local farmers.

James is joined in the business by his mother Kathleen and cousin Steve.

During peak times, up to five extra staff are taken on. J & TJ Townley is a completely separate entity to fellow agri contractor JD Townley & Son, which operates from nearby Ballygowan.

Committed to providing a quality service and complete client satisfaction, J & TJ Townley specialises in slurry spreading, ploughing, reseeding, silage cutting, barley harvesting and hedge cutting. James has a wide range of machinery to carry out your work quickly and efficiently, providing you with value-for-money and

an alternative to investing in your own expensive equipment.

The success of J & TJ Townley is down to the knowledge, skill and expertise of its staff, as well as the quality of its equipment. The family-run concern

CONTACT DETAILS J & TJ Townley

75 Windmill Road, Donaghadee, Co. Down BT210LS Telephone: 078 49598018 IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

townley designed_Layout 1 25/08/2015 17:01 Page 2

delivers the value and quality farmers expect from their agricultural contracting partner.

James has five tractors dedicated to the contracting business. Four are New Holland and the other is a John Deere 6810. The New Hollands are T7.200

(x2), TM150 and TM190. He has three other tractors, all of which are Ford (TW15, 7610 and 7600), and are used on the family farm.

The Townley silage fleet is an impressive sight when in full flow. James drives the New Holland FR500 selfpropelled forage harvester, which he purchased from R Kennedy & Co in Ballynahinch, Co. Down. Three Herron 14-tonne trailers draw the silage back to the pit where Michael Goudy uses his reverse-drive Valtra and buck rake.

James also hires in Gary Kirkwood, who owns a Krone 40-ft rake.

Completing the Townley silage fleet are three 14-tonne Herron trailers and a brand new Kuhn FC 9530 triple mower, purchased from DS Logan in Cullybackey, Co. Antrim.

Believed to be the first of its kind in Ireland, the new machine utilises one front-mounted and two rear-mounted units to provide a work width of up to 9.5 metres. Each unit is mounted via a

pendulum-type hydraulic articulation which enables vertical and angular adjustment of the mowing head for improved ground contouring, optimal cut quality and fast forward speeds.

All three mowing units are also fitted with Kuhn’s Optidisc cutterbar, Fast-Fit cutting knives and Protectadrive safety bearings as standard, and are controlled via a simple cab-mounted panel which enables each mowing unit to be lifted individually or simultaneously.

“I’ve been very impressed with it so far.

It has a wide sweep, cuts well and leaves a nice sward,” enthuses James.

In addition, J & TJ Townley cuts approximately 600 acres of mostly spring barley per annum using two New Holland combine harvesters. The New Holland TX63 has a 17-ft cutter head, while the 8055 uses a 13-ft cutter head.

Other equipment / plant operated by the contractor includes two Major 2,000gallon slurry tankers, a Richard Weston 10-tonne rear discharge dung spreader,

Another field being ploughed IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

23

townley designed_Layout 1 25/08/2015 17:01 Page 3

One of the New Holland combine harvesters cutting barley

a 1,200-metre slurry cup umbilical system, a pair of Kuhn fourfurrow and five-furrow reversible ploughs, a Lemken one-pass seed drill, an Accord grain and fertiliser drill, a Mastek fourlegged grass sub-soiler and a McConnel hedge-cutter.

All machines are upgraded on a regular basis to avoid breakdowns and downtime. Servicing and maintenance is carried out in-house, while tractors in need of repair are sent to main New Holland dealer R Kennedy & Co. J & TJ Townley boasts a large and loyal customer-base within a 20-mile radius of Donaghadee, which is located on the northeast coast of the Ards Peninsula, four miles from Newtownards, six miles from Bangor and 18 miles from Belfast.

“We have received great support from the local farming community down through the years. Our customers keep coming back to us year after year because they know they’ll get a top-class, reliable, clean and cost-effective service,” James says.

There is no such thing as a quiet time of the year for this agri contractor. In the early months, the focus is on slurry spreading and sowing. The silage season, which typically runs from May to September, is a particularly hectic period for the Townley team who will work around the clock to keep their customers happy. The harvest then takes precedence, followed by hedge cutting and more slurry spreading.

In addition to the contracting business, James is engaged in tillage farming. On his 100-acre farm, he grows barley and potatoes and also makes hay.

“We grow about 50 acres of barley and cut another 30 acres of hay. We also grow 12 acres of potatoes which we sell out of the yard. We grow a wide variety of spuds, including Dunbar standards, Golden Wonders and Kerr’s Pinks,” he concludes.

Best Wishes & Continsued Success To J&TJ Townley, From

The new Kuhn triple mower in action

Wishing Continued Success To J&TJ Townley From

DAWSON & COMPANY Chartered Accountants

171 University Street, Belfast, County Antrim BT7 1HR P: 02890 245217 E: mail@dawsonaccountants.co.uk www.dawsonaccountants.com

Best Wishes To J&TJ Townley

25 Duneoin Road, Cullybackey, Ballymena BT42 1PL P: 028 2588 0297 E: info@dslogan.com www.dslogan.com

24

IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

Powells designed_Layout 1 26/08/2015 15:16 Page 1

The Powell boys… John with sons Sam, Adam and Isaac

H

John and Sylvia have come an Offaly long way

aving started with a small dairy herd a little over a decade ago, husband-andwife John and Sylvia Powell are now milking 220 cows on their busy farm outside Birr in Co. Offaly.

The herd, a mixture of Holstein Friesian, Jersey and Kiwi Cross, produces approximately one million litres of milk per year which is supplied to Lakeland Dairies via Arrabawn Co-Op in Nenagh. This is a IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

far cry from the 20,000 gallons which the Powell’s produced in their first year as dairy farmers.

“It was all dry-stock with us until 2004 when we decided to get into dairying. We started out with 40 cows and have gradually increased our numbers since then,” Sylvia explains.

“I come from a dairy background and John had worked on dairy farms in Australia and New Zealand, so we knew what we were getting ourselves into. I spent a year in New Zealand also. It’s

CONTACT DETAILS John and Sylvia Powell Boherboy House, Fortal, Birr, Co. Offaly.

Telephone: 087 7767735

El: johnandsylviapowell@yahoo.co.uk

25

Powells designed_Layout 1 26/08/2015 15:16 Page 2

Padraig O’Toole

Best Wishes To John & Sylvia Powell, From

Concreting & Construction Specialising In

ALL YOUR FARMING CONSTRUCTION NEEDS

Mobile: 087-6118873

E: podgeotoole135@gmail.com Kingswood Computing is a market leader in Agricultural IT, trusted by farmers for over 25 years.

www.kingswood.ie

For sales enquiries, call us on +353 1 459 6677 (1850 923 396 ROI Only) or via email at info@kingswood.ie For support queries, our friendly, professional support team are here to answer your questions. Contact us on +353 1 459 9491.

Best Wishes & Continued Success To John & Sylvia Powell

Best Wishes To John & Sylvia Powell , From Wishing Continued Success To John & Sylvia Powell

Maghernappin, Convoy, County Donegal

Tel: 074-9147178 | www.greggcare.ie

Suppliers of READYMIX CONCRETE, LIQUID FLOOR SCREED, PRECAST PRODUCTS, SLATS and BLOCKS

Birr, Co Offaly T: +353 (0)57 9120156 F: +353 (0)57 9120164 www.smythssandandgravel.ie

Boumatic GM & GEA Farm Equipment Manual, Compressed Air, Electric & Batch Feed Systems Flexi Augers and Meal Bins Dairy Water Heaters & Boilers Wash Down Pumps & Power Washers Full Range of Chemicals Stocked Water Pumps: Shallow, Deep Well & Submersible Pumps Water Softeners, Iron Filters & UV Units For Bacterial Control

Drinagh , Mountmellick, Co.Laois T:057-8644100 | M: 087-2604026 7 Days Service Available Continued Best Wishes To John & Sylvia Powell

26

IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

Powells designed_Layout 1 26/08/2015 15:16 Page 3

very time-consuming compared to other types of farming – the cows have to be milked twice a day after all – but it has been great to see what was once a small enterprise grow to the size it is today.

“Following the removal of milk quotas last March, it’s an exciting time to be involving in dairying. There are new opportunities to be had and our aim is to increase our herd size further over the next few years.”

John and Sylvia, along with their three young boys Sam (eight), Adam (six) and Isaac (three), farm 210 acres on the Clareen Road out of Birr and a further 125 acres in nearby Lorrha, Co. Tipperary. John, a native of Templederry, Co. Tipperary and Sylvia, from Newtowncunningham, Co. Donegal, met while they were on farm placements on the farm of John’s uncle, also John Powell, in Nenagh.

They got married in 2001 and purchased the farm in Birr from another uncle of John’s, Reggie Abbott, the following year. The farm was then 100 acres, but the Powell’s have obviously expanded operations quite a bit since then.

John holds a Green Cert and was a finalist in the FBD Young Farmer of the Year competition in 2000. Sylvia, meanwhile, has a three year Farm Management Cert. They are assisted on the farm by Michael O’Brien, who recently returned from Australia where he managed 700 cows, and Donegal lad Matthew Sweeney, who is a first year student in Advanced Dairy Herd Management.

Over the past two years, John and Sylvia have invested in a new 237-cubicle cowshed and a state-of-the-art Boumatic Gascoigne Melotte milking parlour, which was supplied by main agent for Ireland Richard Kingston from Athy, Co. Kildare and installed by Oliver Peake of Peake Dairy Services in Mountmellick, Co. Laois.

Established in Ireland since 1935, when the company traded as Gascoigne, Boumatic Gascoigne Melotte supplies the highest quality farm equipment, from herringbone, rotary and robot milking machines to herd management tools and dairy hygiene accessories. It is a worldwide leader in dairy innovation.

The Powell’s have a 30-unit swing-over milking parlour with cluster flush. Cluster flush is a flushing system that washes out the cluster after every cow, keeping the cluster fully sanitised before going onto the next cow. This effectively eliminates the threat of cross contamination of mastitis between cows. The system is fitted in line and is operated by using electronic which are wired into the existing machine, meaning it can be fitted onto any type, size or brand of milking machine. It is fitted with a dosatron pump which mixes the parasitic acid and water that kills any bacteria in the cluster.

“We are very pleased with the new milking parlour, which has reduced milking time to about one hour and 15 minutes. We installed it in 2013 and followed that by building a new cowshed last year. We have invested heavily, but hopefully it will pay off in the long run,” Sylvia says.

IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

The milking parlour was installed two years ago

Getting ready for milking

From left to right: John Cashen, assistant farm manager Michael O’Brien and advanced dairy management student Matthew Sweeney.

John recently started up his own dairy herd after working with the Powell family for four years

27

Powells designed_Layout 1 26/08/2015 15:16 Page 4

Best wishes to John & Sylvia Powell , From

Best Wishes & Continued Success To JOHN & SYLVIA POWELL From

Bailieboro, Co. Cavan Tel:1890 47 47 20 E: agrisales@lakeland.ie | www.lakeland.ie

Best Wishes To John & Sylvia Powell Farm

Garahy Tractor Spares Ltd

Email: keithbradyelectrical@hotmail.com

Mile Tree, Birr, Co. Offaly

Tel:057-9121555 Fax:057-9121539

T&M SMYTH Best wishes to John & Sylvia Powell from

AGRI SERVICES Telephone: 057-9120101 Mobile: 087-2538952

IRISH &

AGRI

Continued success to John & Sylvia Powell , from

Ballykinash, Carrig, Birr, Co. Offaly

CAIMIN TONY ARRON 28

087-6123059 087-6578299 087-9186463

WOULD YOU LIKE YOUR COMPANY FEATURED

Call Barry now on 00353 (0) 46 9241923 IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

Powells designed_Layout 1 26/08/2015 15:16 Page 5

The Powell’s dry off their cows every November in advance of the calving season, which usually begins in February. They rear about 100 heifer and 50 bull calves each year. This year, they plan to keep the majority of their young heifers which will eventually lead to an increased dairy herd size of about 250.

Sylvia is excited about what the future holds for the Irish dairy sector, despite concerns about falling milk prices and the impact the decision to lift EU milk quotas will have.

“We’re very confident going forward.

There is a bit of a down at the moment, but we had it good for two years. We fully expect milk prices to recover and that the abolition of milk quotas will have a positive effect for everyone. There will soon be a worldwide market open to us, and we have to be ready for that.”

Always keen to embrace modern technology, the Powell’s use a Kingswood computing package for grassland measurement. Kingswood’s Farm IT System is the control centre from which you can manage your herd, fields, grass and financial recording.

The new 237-cubicle cowshed

One of the new farm buildings

The state-of-the-art Boumatic Gascoigne Melotte milking parlour IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

29

Michael O'Riordan designed_Layout 1 25/08/2015 11:36 Page 1

Six trucks make up the fleet

W

Safe travel

e all like our comfort when we travel from one destination to another whether it be by car, bus, plane, boat or train and we are not too shy to speak up if the conditions are not what we desire.

Animals and livestock in particular don’t have that facility to tell us if they are uncomfortable, too warm or thirsty, so that is why there are stringent regulations in place from the Department of Agriculture and the Health & Safety authority to look after the welfare of livestock.

The transportation of sheep and cattle has changed considerably over the years with livestock hauliers having to adhere to a number of rules and regulations in order to ensure the safety of their cargo.

There are livestock hauliers out there

30

who have been involved in this line of work for generations now and for this month’s edition, we profile one such business.

Michael O’Riordan Livestock Transport is based in Watergrasshill, Co Cork and Michael himself speaks to us about the services that he provides a large customer base that includes the Department of Agriculture.

The date February 29th, 1948 has a big significance for the O’Riordan family as Michael explained to us.

“That was the day I was born and on the same day, my father went out and bought a brand new lorry for £420 to haul livestock and we have been doing it ever since,” said Michael.

“I have seen many changes in this industry over the years and even though there is a massive amount of paperwork involved these days, the industry is being

run a lot tighter and more efficient.

“There is traceability on every animal you carry right from its loaded until we deliver to wherever it may by going. There are more course to make hauliers aware of what needs to be done and this is all for the welfare of the animals which I agree with.”

Michael revealed that apart from working for local farmers and at marts,

CONTACT DETAILS Michael O’Riordan Livestock Transport Skehanagh Watergrasshill Co. Cork Phone: (021)4889116

IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

Michael O'Riordan designed_Layout 1 25/08/2015 11:36 Page 2

they also do work for the Department of Agriculture.

“We have a department number which

is needed to do the sort of work we have to do for them, and this is mainly moving TB reactors from farmyards, while in the

A number of reputable companies use O’Riordan Livestock IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

early 2000s, we moved a lot of cattle during the BSE crisis.

“The lorries have to be kept spotless and they are cleaned down after every run that we do.

We would also do runs to all the major meat factories around the country including Ashbourne Meats in Roscrea and Moyvalley Meats, as well as Larry Goodman’s ABP in Clare and Rathkeale, Kepak, Dawn Meats and Kildare Chilling.

“Generally our customer base would be in Cork, Kerry and parts of Waterford and Clare. With the road network that is in place today, travelling times have been reduced a lot and this means we can cover a bigger radius in less time.”

Michael operates a fleet of four trucks, two Volvos and two Ivecos with his son Shane who is involved in the day to day running of the business.

31

Michael O'Riordan designed_Layout 1 25/08/2015 11:36 Page 3

Best Wishes To Michael O’Riordan Livestock Transport, From

McCarthy Insurance Group Anderson Centre, Fermoy, Co. Cork Tel:025-31199 | Email: fermoy@mig.ie

Branches throughout Ireland Cork City | Fermoy |Mitchelstown | Bantry Dunmanway |Skibbereen | Rathmore Castlemaine | Tralee |Dungarvan |Dublin

Charles McCarthy Insurances Ltd t/a McCarthy Insurance Group is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.

McCarthy Commercials Ltd Authorised Dealer For Volvo Trucks

WATERGRASSHILL, CO. CORK 021 4889700

RING ROAD., KILKENNY Tel: 056 7734200 GILLOGUE, CLONLARA, CO. CLARE Tel: 061 356360

www.mccarthycomms.ie

Continued success to all at Michael O’Riordan Livestock Transport

Best Wishes & Continued Success To Michael O’Riordan Livestock Transport From

Specialists in the sales and maintenance of livestock and bulk feed blower trailers Ballinahina, Fermoy, Co.Cork. T: 00353 (25) 36365

Email:fentontruckandtrailer@gmail.com

www.fentontruckandtrailer.com

Best Wishes & Continued Success To Michael O’Riordan Livestock Transport, From

O’Sullivan Tyres STOCKS ALL LEADING BRANDS OF TYRES

24 HOUR MOBILE BREAKDOWN SERVICE

Unit 8, Ballydaheen Industrial Estate, Mallow, Co. Cork

Tel: (022) 50394 • Fax: (022) 20666 Mobile: (086) 2600482/(087) 2600482

Continued Success To Michael O’Riordan Livestock Transport From Alan & All The Team At

Condonstown, Watergrasshill, Co. Cork Tel: 021-4513200

CONTINUED BEST WISHES TO ALL AT MICHAEL O’RIORDAN LIVESTOCK TRANSPORT

www.kepak.com

WOULD YOU LIKE YOUR COMPANY FEATURED IN

Call Barry now on 00353 (0) 46 9241923 Irish Tractor & Farm Machinery Magazine

32

IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

Michael O'Riordan designed_Layout 1 25/08/2015 11:36 Page 4

“We would upgrade the trucks as regularly as possible.

It is important to keep the fleet fresh, especially in our line of work as we haul cattle, sheep and pigs on a daily basis.”

Michael admits that they are busy all the time, such is the customer base that they have built up over the years.

“We are always busy, which is a good thing. We do some work for Murphy Hunter International as well, so we have a fairly extensive customer base at this stage.

“The trailers we have include a double decker for an artic and this allows us transport bigger loads, especially on longer runs.”

Despite having passed the retirement mark, Michael shows no signs of slowing down and is at his happiest when he’s behind the wheel of one of the trucks, while he has had many scraps down through the years.

“I had my two hips done a few years back and I’m raring to go since, although I was attacked by a bull last October in

The O’Riordan family have been involved in livestock haulage since 1948

Kepak. The bull charged at me and summersaulted me up on to its back where I was for about a minute. I was a bit sore after that one,” he joked.

“I still love driving and as long as I do, I’ll keep at it. What’s the point in retiring now?”

So which livestock does Michael find the hardest to deal with when working?

“Calves, without question, they are the toughest to deal with, it is very hard to manage them. Many people might think sheep, but once they start moving, they all go, the same cannot be said about calves.”

Michael has picked up many years’

experience in the industry, which he has passed down to his son Shane who is bringing the business into the next generation.

Four people are employed by Michael and Shane with the elder O’Riordan stating that some of who have been with them many years.

“Farmers like familiarity especially when moving livestock who many treat like family. So our drivers are well known to our customers and some of them have been with us many years and are very experienced at what they do.”

The preferred choice of trucks are Volvo and Iveco IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

33

Kelly Bros designed_Layout 1 25/08/2015 11:41 Page 1

Work in the forestry heartland along the Cork/Kerry border

P

A dependable service

roviding a wide range of topquality services from their Ballydesmond base on the Cork/Kerry border, Kelly Bros have earned a reputation for excellence over the past three decades and more.

We caught up with Sean Kelly to take a closer look at this operation, which is as impressive as it is varied.

their heads down and get on with things – an honest day’s work for a fair price. That’s what has worked for them and their customers down through the years.

A wide range of services is provided in a nononsense fashion, from agri contracting to quarrying, forestry to sports grounds and each job is treated as an absolute priority, with the best machinery operated by a team of experienced and competent operatives.

There’s no airs and graces with Kelly Bros; Customer service is at the very heart of no frills, no bells and whistles. They just keep everything Kelly Bros do. It’s not rocket science … but it works!

“To stand over the work you do, you have to CONTACT DETAILS have the best equipment and you have to keep investing in it,” says Sean Kelly, who Kelly Bros, started out on a small scale some 32 years ago, mostly doing silage and a bit of land Knocknaboul, drainage. From there, the business was Ballydesmond, expanded to incorporate forestry and County Cork. quarrying / stone as well as the sports pitches Tel: 064 7751164 section, which is active nationwide.

34

Four Kelly brothers oversee the operation today, each charged with running one particular aspect of the overall business: Sean looks after the sports grounds; Eamonn is over the agri contracting; Tadgh is in charge of the cement; and Neil handles site work and machinery. The next generation of the family is also on board: Sean’s son Denis is an engineer, as is Tadgh’s son Danny, while Eamonn’s sons Jason and Shane are employed as quantity surveyor and harvester operatives respectively.

For the agri contracting, the Kellys, who specialise in silage, slurry, ploughing and reseeding, have a large fleet of tractors at their disposal – “too many of them!” Sean quips.

Twenty-four in total, including John Deeres, Fendts, Fords etc. “We use whatever suits a particular job at any given time,” says Sean.

“The days of driving tractors into the ground are long over. You have to mind the gear now and, to be fair, we have it all in good nick.” In IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

Kelly Bros designed_Layout 1 25/08/2015 11:41 Page 2

keeping with the modesty of Kelly Bros, this is a bit of an understatement: in fact, they operate their own modern workshop, with their own mechanics and welders on site. “It’s handy when you can repair and service them yourself and it helps keep the overheads down,” Sean adds.

Complementing the tractors is an array of stunning machinery, including two John Deere harvesters, a Big M and three ten-foot mowers, a Claas rake, 14 diggers, five lorries and a number of dump trucks.

Kelly Bros sports grounds are constructed nationwide, providing superb, professional finishes using highly specialised equipment and

Full-time employment is provided to a crew of 45

Four Kelly brothers oversee the operation

Based in Ballydesmond, Kelly Bros provides a range of exceptional services

O’CONNOR’S TRACTORS ltd Continued Best Wishes To Kelly Bros, From

Knockbrack, Knocknagoshel, Co. Kerry Tel:068- 46142 Fax:068-46548 E:sales@oconnorstractors.com www.oconnorstractors.com IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

years of expertise. They use their own sand to construct certified football pitches and golf course etc. and do a large number of synthetic pitches. The service comprises a full one-stop shop from start to finish, including everything from digging to sowing to drainage etc.

Forestry is another area that Kelly Bros specialise in, being located in something of a forestry heartland along the Cork / Kerry border.

“There have been a lot of forests planted here in the last 30 years and we are doing a fair bit of private work for farmers,” says Sean. Again, a comprehensive and complete service is provided.

“We put in the roads, which are built to the highest spec, and we get the felling licence and tend to the wood. We take out whatever needs to be taken out in order to get the crop to maturity. You’d do three thinnings in total and then the final crop would be ready after 35-38 years. So it’s not a quick earner; it’s more of a pension scheme.

“We’re in the process of doing thinnings now and we are very lucky to have Munster Joinery here on our doorstep as they take most of the pulp off us while a local sawmill takes the pallet wood.”

Quarrying is another very important part of the overall business. The Kellys operate their own quarry and sand pit, producing natural building stone and other materials for use in the construction of houses and roadways etc. “We use those materials for our own forest roadways as well as for farmyards and silo pits. We supply to contractors in our area and that is a big part of the overall operation.

We also do our own readymix concrete and do a good bit of site clearance.”

All in all, Kelly Bros currently generate direct employment for a fulltime crew of 45 – no mean feat and a huge boost to the local economy. “In rural Ireland, it’s a lot alright,” former Kerry footballer Sean concedes. “We are growing hand in hand with Munster Joinery.

During the boom times, when we were working for a number of developers in Mallow, we actually had up to 75 people on our books

North Cork Creameries

Town & Country

Continued Best Wishes To Kelly Bros, From

SHOP

GIFTS • HARDWARE • ELECTRICAL PAINTS • GARDENING • DIY AGRICULTURAL SUPPLIES

Tel: kanturk 029-50003 Tel: Stores 029-20200 Tel: Condrew 029-20201 Tel: Cullen 029-79002

Duhallow’s Best Value Hardware Stores

35

Kelly Bros designed_Layout 1 25/08/2015 11:41 Page 3

The best equipment and personnel result in the best work

farmers and other customers are getting on.

“If they are going good, we are going good, but rural Ireland is being let down badly in the last three years and things like designated land, with farmers being told their land is worthless, are very unfair.

“It’s also becoming more and more difficult to run a legitimate business. I agree with safety and we have an excellent safety record here but there are far too many rules and regulations governing this industry. There are people being robbed while they lie on trolleys in hospitals yet lads are being pulled over at 4am in the morning to have their vehicles checked. We are gone way over the top and we need to get back to basics.

“We’ve also gone down the worrying road of pricing everybody in Europe instead of sticking with local contractors.

Local contractors provide local employment and keep money in the economy as well as having a good knowledge of the local community and providing an invaluable back-up service to customers in rural Ireland. There’s a lot to be said for keeping it local and giving jobs to the people who are best qualified to do it.”

but we had to scale back.”

Kelly Bros certainly couldn’t be accused of having all their eggs in one basket. Regarding the varied nature of the operation, Sean points out that diversification was the only way to move the business forward: “We wouldn’t survive if we were only at one thing. We had to diversify in order to survive. You have to have all the best gear to provide all the various services and you have to get the most out of each machine. You’re out in the elements all the time, depending on the weather for your livelihood and also depending on how well the

Best Wishes To Kelly Bros Best Wishes To Kelly Bros Preparing that field of dreams

Kelly Bros specialise in sportsfield construction and maintenance

36

IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

michael murphy designed_Layout 1 25/08/2015 11:25 Page 1

Michael does all his own work

F

A lot of investment has gone into the farm

Top award for Tipperary farmer

armers take great pride in their livestock and not only are they a form of income for them, but farm animals are generally treated like part of the family.

There are many different aspects to farming as a lot depends on the type of land being farmed as well as other characteristics, but the most common forms of farming are dairy, beef, sheep and tillage.

Nenagh based Michael Murphy is a fifth generation farmer who focuses on beef these days and this year he was named the Beef Farmer of the Year.

It was a massive accolade for Michael to receive, whose family would have been better known as dairy farmers down through the years.

The Farmer of the Year Awards, sponsored by Zurich Insurance, featured eight separate categories including Beef, Sheep and Tillage Farmer of the Year, as well as a new Farm Safety Award, developed to recognise farmers who strive to apply the highest safety standards to their farming practices.

The Zurich Farming Michael (left) accepts the Beef Farmer of the Year Independent Farmer of award from Zurich Insurance’s Michael Doyle

IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

the Year Awards, now in their second year, recognise the best farmers throughout the country and reward excellence in all areas of farming.

“My Teagasc representative asked if I would like to enter the competition and hesitantly I did,” said Michael. “Around 15 people were put forward and that was narrowed down to three.

“The judges then visited each farm and checked everything out and fortunately I was chosen as the winner and it’s a great honour for myself and my family.”

Michael farms 90 hectares and that is stocked with close to 500 cattle as calves are reared to beef before being sent to the factory.

Beef production from grass is one of Irish farming’s greatest strengths.

Ireland’s best asset for beef production is our 1.1 million beef suckler cow herd kept on just under 80,000 farms. These beef

CONTACT DETAILS Michael Murphy, Big Park, Latteragh, Nenagh, Co Tipperary.

37

michael murphy designed_Layout 1 25/08/2015 11:25 Page 2

A farming community dedicated to the growth of local business and improvement of customer experience Templemore Road, Thurles, Co. Tipperary Tel: 0504 91900 Fax: 0504 22657

www.centenarythurles.com Wishing Continued Success To

WISHING MICHAEL & OLIVIA CONTINUED SUCCESS IN THE FUTURE

Michael Murphy Best Wishes To Michael Murphy, From

Dingle Cattle & Sheep Mart Best Wishes & Continued Success To Michael From

Nelius McAuliffe

Suppliers of All Cattle, Calves, Sheep

Purchase & Delivery Of Your Stock Can Be Arranged DINGLE, CO.KERRY Telephone: 066-9151586 Mobile: 086-2534430 Email: dinglemart@gmail.com

James O’Brien & Co.,

Best Wishes To Michael Murphy From

WOULD YOU LIKE YOUR COMPANY FEATURED

Call Barry now on 00353 (0) 46 9241923

38

SOLICITORS

Est 1904

30 Castle Street, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary Tel:067-31218 ( 5 Lines) Fax:067-33357 Email: info@jamesobrien.ie Dublin Office

24/26 Upper Ormond Quay, Dublin 7 IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

michael murphy designed_Layout 1 25/08/2015 11:25 Page 3

Michael has gone from dairy to beef farming

Machinery is continuously moving on the farm

owned by Co Louth’s Larry Goodman; Dawn, owned by the Queally and Browne families from Waterford and Kepak, owned by the family of the late Noel Keating in Co Meath.

As well as exports of carcase beef in chilled form, we also export beef in the form of live cattle. In 2011, 215,000 cattle were exported live from Ireland. Most of these were young animals sent to Italy and Spain, where they are finished through further feeding for up to a year. There is also a sizeable volume of dairy calf exports from Ireland to veal units in the Netherlands.

Michael revealed that a life changing experience in 1998 saw the Murphy family go from dairy farming to beef farming.

“I am the fifth generation of the family to be farming. I took over from my father when he passed away at a young age.

We always had been dairy farmers until in ’98, the herd was wiped out with brucellosis.

“We had British Friesian cows at the time and the department depopulated the dairy herd and followers. I asked them to leave a few calves, but everything had to go and it was a tough time for us all.”

“I decided never to go back into cows after that and when the time was right I started into beef and I haven’t looked back since. It took a long time to build the herd up, but I’m happy with what we have now.”

Michael revealed that there are still reminders of their time in dairying around the farm. “The milking parlour is still there, but I’ve certainly no interest in returning to dairying, but if my son or daughters want to, it is there for them.”

“The beef industry is very forward thinking compared to dairy and it certainly has progressed over the years and although there has been challenging times, it is heading in the right direction.”

Before concentrating on farming, Michael was a noted hurler with Templederry and Tipperary and during a short inter-county career, he managed to win an All-Ireland Minor Hurling Championship in ‘76 and then played in three AllIreland under-21 hurling finals, winning two and losing one.

Michael only played for a year-and-a-half at senior level and even then he achieved some success as he won a National Hurling League medal in ‘79.

“When my father passed away I didn’t have time for the hurling and to be honest I don’t have any regrets. I still follow it very closely, but farming is my passion.”

Michael added that he does the majority of the work on the farm himself, with a contractor only being brought in to do the pit silage.

Been named the Beef Farmer of the Year award was never so fitting for this hard working Tipperary farmer.

The yard is kept in excellent condition

animals calve once per year, typically in Spring, with their offspring reared on their mother’s milk until weaning nine months later. The dams are generally Angus, Hereford, Limousin, Charolais or Simmental cross cows, generally sourced as crosses from the dairy herd.

Beef research and advisory services are run nationally by Teagasc, while Bord Bia promotes Irish beef on export markets. The latter also run the highly successful Beef Quality Assurance Scheme, an audited process that ensures all beef sold carrying the Quality Assured Irish Beef logo meets defined standards.

Beef cattle for the export market are slaughtered at one of around 30 approved export meat plants. Three privately controlled firms hold a dominant share of the sector; ABP, IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

Best Wishes & Continued Success To

Michael Murphy

Joe Fogarty Agri From

39

Kill Agri designed_Layout 1 25/08/2015 12:40 Page 1

M

Kill Agri Service still at the top

achinery in the farming industry doesn’t come cheap and farmers can be forgiven for taking a cautious approach when making a purchase.

Trust is a major issue when spending thousands of euro and that is why many farmers stick with what they know best and remain with the same dealer over the years.

This is certainly the case with Waterford based Kill Agricultural Services Ltd as this family run business has built up a huge customer base over the years as their

40

friendly approach and quality of service has earned them a glowing reputation.

Situated in Kilrossanty, Co. Waterford, (next to Kilrossanty Church). Just off the N25, they are 13km (14 min) from Dungarvan, 11km (14 min) from Kilmacthomas and 2.7km (6 min) from Lemybrien which is in the heartland of dairy and beef farming.

The Fitzgerald family have been running the business for close to 60 years now and a lot has changed since Paddy and Anne Fitzgerald first opened their doors all those years ago.

These days, Kill Agricultural Services Ltd is managed by their son Patrick,

assisted by his brother Gerard. Patrick spoke to Irish Tractor & Agri about the success that they have had over the years.

CONTACT DETAILS

Kill Agricultural Services Kilrossanty, Co Waterford.

Patrick Fitzgerald Mobile: 087 2594667 Email: patrick@killagri.com

IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

Kill Agri designed_Layout 1 25/08/2015 12:40 Page 2

“My father came from a farming family in Kill where the business was first established, following his marriage, the business was moved to Kilrossanty, my Mother’s home place.

However the Name Kill Agricultural Services was kept,” said Patrick.

In the early years, repairs were the mainstay of the business, sales being the lesser part. Farm machinery was simpler and farming was not as intensive as today. There were fewer machines to choose from, and farmers tended to buy machinery less often. Kill Agri’s main agencies were Viking (Finger-Bar mower) and Alice Chambers (round balers). They also imported a wide variety of machines from England, this was an important part of the business as times were hard. Value for money was priority for customers and new machines were not easily affordable.

The reputation for providing a quality service at a reasonable price soon spread and so too by word of mouth, the customer base soon grew.

Farming practices have changed considerably in the intervening years. Machinery now plays a more important role than ever before, due to more intensive farming. Machinery development has kept pace with these changes and expert service is more necessary than ever before. Over the years Kill Agricultural Services gradually grew their sales and acquired a wide range of agencies. “We were appointed main Case IH dealers in 1997 which is now a very strong element of our business. Our other agencies include other leading Farm Machinery brands such as, Kuhn, McHale, Hi-Spec, Lely/Welger, Rauch, JF-Stoll, Tanco, Osella, Rossmore, Twose, Belmac, NC Engineering, Nugent Engineering, Fleming & Walter Watson, Quicke & Suzuki Quad Bikes.

“We stock a wide range of machinery, both new and second hand. The service department is one of the busiest areas for us as our experienced mechanics have an excellent reputation for getting the job done efficiently and quickly. Our workshop carries out Repairs and Maintenance and staffed by fully qualified personnel.

Service vans are equipped to provide Breakdown Maintenance in the field.

“With increasing sales our stores department has grown IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

Some of the staff at Kill Agri Services from l/r: Eddie Ryan, Noel Hickey, Seamus Power, Ivor Walsh, Conor Moore, Richie Crowley, Diarmuid Ahern, Gerard Fitzgerald, Patrick Fitzgerald, Richard Halpin, Orla Kane, John Hickey, John Doyle, Billy Dunphy, Aidan Dunwoody

A new Lely mower is loaded and ready for delivery

41

Kill Agri designed_Layout 1 25/08/2015 12:41 Page 3

Seamus McGrath Agri Contractor Best Wishes & Continued Success To Kill Agricultural Services, From

Grange, Co. Waterford

ALLEN & HICKEY LTD

WE DISTRIBUTE LINCOLN LUBRICATION SYSTEMS, NKE BEARINGS AND AUTOMATIC FIRE SUPPRESSION Wishing Continued Success To Kill Agricultural Services

31 A, Euro Business Park, Little Island, Co. Cork.

Tel:+353 (0)21 4524661 Email: sales@a-h.ie www.a-h.ie

TOMAS WALSH

Continued Best Wishes To Kill Agricultural Services From

AGRICULTURAL CONTRACTOR

Grange, Co. Waterford

Telephone:087-9141845

Mobile: 087-2466396

Paudie McCarthy Wishing Kill Agricultural Services Continued Success In The Future From Agricultural Contractor

For All Your Bale Silage

Cappagh, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford

Telephone: 086-4004670 Telephone: 058-68040

PJ Keane

Continued Success To Kill Agricultural Services, From

CONTRACTING SERVICES FOR ALL YOUR GENERAL AGRI CONTRACTING NEEDS

Contact PAT on 087-2779647

Portlaw, Co.Waterford | E: patkeane4@hotmail.com

WOULD YOU LIKE YOUR COMPANY FEATURED IN Irish Tractor & Farm Agri Magazine

Call Barry now on 00353 (0) 46 9241923

42

IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

Kill Agri designed_Layout 1 25/08/2015 12:41 Page 4

Storemen Diarmuid Ahern, Billy Dunphy and John Hickey always have a smile on their face for the customers

accordingly. It now forms a vital part of our service to the farming community.

We carry an extensive range of parts to support counter and service demands.”

The summer months are always a hectic time for the team at Kill Agricultural Services, and Patrick revealed that their dedicated staff are on hand to deal with any queries or problems that a customer might have.

“Most of the staff have been with us years and are very experienced. There are 15 people employed here in total and commitment to our customers is our main priority.”

The customer base is not just confined to the people in Waterford as farming and Agricultural Contractors would come from neighbouring Kilkenny and further afield to do business with this family run operation.

“The customer base has grown considerably over the years and we are always adding to it, while we would have a massive amount of repeat custom also.”

As stated, Kill Agricultural Services stock a wide range of Machinery which includes Balers, Diet Feeders, Harvesters, Belmac O-Grazers, Mowers, Quad Bikes, Rakes, Tedders, Shear Grabs, Slurry Equipment, Sprayers, IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

Manure / Fertiliser Spreaders, Wrappers, Tillage Equipment and Land Rollers.

They also have a wide range of New & Used Tractors in the Case range, as well as other makes. “We are delighted with the way the business is going.”

“We appreciate fully that our success would not be possible without a very

committed and hard-working staff, my parents always put the customer first and that is what we continue to do, to this day.

“We would like to take this opportunity to thank all our customers, for their continued support over the years, it is greatly appreciated.”

Patrick Fitzgerald

43

Beattie designed_Layout 1 25/08/2015 12:45 Page 1

The genesis of the new mill has given M Beattie & Son tremendous momentum

M

Where there’s a mill there’s a way

Beattie & Son Ltd. in County Tyrone has been providing the agri sector with a superb animal feeds / general merchants service for over six-and-a-half decades. Since opening up their new state-of-theart mill in 2007, the fourthgeneration family business has gone from strength to strength. We dropped into their Newtownstewart HQ and met Arnold Beattie to find out more.

business has been serving its customers, one could forgive them for resting on their laurels – but the opposite is the case.

Numerous key developments have taken place in recent years and they are going stronger than ever, if truth be told.

The construction of a new mill has resulted in a much more efficient animal feeds service, while a new toy store was also opened to the public on the wellappointed Newtownstewart site at the start of the current calendar year (M Beattie & Son has a second depot at Donemana). Providing a wider range of Twenty-fourteen marked the 65th products and services than ever before, anniversary of the formation of M Beattie these are exciting times for the Beatties, & Son Ltd. Considering how long this who cover a large catchment area and

44

are recording unprecedented levels of growth.

The development of the aforementioned state-of-the-art, environmentally-friendly blending plant has been key to this growth:

CONTACT DETAILS

M Beattie & Son Ltd.,

70 Plumbridge Road, Newtownstewart, County Tyrone.

Tel: 028 81661337 Fax: 028 81662137 Email: sales@mbeattieandson.co.uk IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

Beattie designed_Layout 1 25/08/2015 12:45 Page 2

In total, there are ten trucks in the fleet at present

“The new blending plant has revitalised the business,” confirms MD Arnold Beattie. “It has brought in a lot of new business and we are going from strength to strength. It comprises twelve new bins and a grinder plus a three-tonne mixer and five storage bins. It’s a fantastic asset but we’re not going to leave it at that. We intend to develop the plant even further next year in order to make the animal feed side of the business even more efficient.

“We can mix the feeds to exact customer requirements. We do our own specified mixes too but if any customer wants a bespoke mix then we can provide that. Basically, we are here to meet customer demand and we have the plant, the personnel, the raw materials and the knowhow to produce whatever they want, which can be supplied in any quantity to any part of the country [bulk deliveries, jumbo bags or 50kg / 25kg bags].

“A lot of owners will want feed with particular minerals and precise percentages of protein that are specific to their animal’s needs and you have to have a system in place to provide this.

Our mixes are all farm quality assured and UFAS [Universal Feed Assurance IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

Scheme]-registered.

“They can collect the feed here or we will deliver it. We will travel any distance.

For example, we have been to Kildare and further afield to deliver horse feed.

While a lot of our business is in the Tyrone, Donegal, Derry, Fermanagh area, we go anywhere.”

The genesis of the business goes back to 1949, when Matt Beattie and his wife Winifred bought the property in Corrick as a grocery shop. Mrs Beattie ran the grocery business on her own for a number of years while Matt continued to work as chauffeur for Major Moutray at Favour Royal, Augher coming to Corrick at weekends. After Matt, his only son Cecil sold groceries from a grocery van serving the local area, a routine that continued for over 30 years. Cecil’s son, Arnold, and Arnold’s own two sons, Jamie and Jason, are all now active in the longserving family operation.

During the intervening years, M Beattie & Son has become renowned across Mid Ulster and beyond for producing and

supplying high-quality bespoke blends for beef cattle, dairy cows, sheep, horses and goats – pretty much everything.

As well as feeds, a wide range of associated products is provided for both wholesale and retail, including fertilisers (Goulding, Grassland, Greenfields), drainage materials, fencing materials (posts, wires, staples), general hardware and agri sprays. In the on-site shop, animal medicine products and workwear are also stocked.

As a general merchant, M Beattie & Son also supplies United Feeds, Top Dog One, layer crumbs and pig meal as well as coal, wood pellets, de-icing salt, antifreeze, wellingtons and wetwear, wheelbarrows and other garden products.

Arnold operates a fleet of ten trucks – a mixture of Volvo and Scania, drawing bulk trailers, blowing trailers, curtainsiders and flats - offering an extensive animal feeds delivery service as well as a small bit of nationwide haulage forTegral Slates and Provimi Ireland.

A new venture for the business arrived

M Beattie & Son is renowned across Mid Ulster for producing and supplying high-quality bespoke blends

45

Beattie designed_Layout 1 25/08/2015 12:45 Page 3

Best Wishes & Continued Success To

M Beattie & Son Ltd

Best Wishes & Continued Success To M Beattie & Son Ltd from

From

Quality Ruminant Animal Feeds 8 Northern Road, Belfast, BT3 9AL Antrim Tel: 028 9075 9000 Fax: 028 9075 1170 Email: sales@ufeeds.com www.ufeeds.com

M Beattie & Son Ltd

Best Wishes & Continued Success To

8 Park Road, Dungannon, Co. Tyrone Tel: 028 8772 2139 www.asmaccountants.com

Associated Offices

Belfast I Dundalk I Magherafelt | Newry

from

150 Derrylin Road, Enniskillen, BT92 2BA T: 028-66 348469 / 07836 786592 / 077333 46310 F: 028-90950711 E: contact@farmcareproducts.co.uk

www.farmcareproducts.co.uk Continued Best Wishes To M Beattie & Son Ltd from

Central Chemical Supplies Ireland’s Premier Independent Chemical Trader 44 Hall Rd, Donaghcloney, Craigavon County Armagh BT66 7LJ

T: 028 3888 1936 F: 028 3888 2335 E: info@ccsni.co.uk www.centralchemicalsupplies.co.uk

IRISH & 46

AGRI

WOULD YOU LIKE YOUR COMPANY FEATURED

Call Barry now on 00353 (0) 46 9241923 IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

Beattie designed_Layout 1 25/08/2015 12:45 Page 4

The fourth-generation family business celebrated its 65th anniversary in 2014

Beattie’s of Newtownstewart – going strong for nearly seven decades

earlier this year when Jamie opened a toyshop on site - Beattie’s Toy Barn – specialising in farm toys and selling leading brands such as Rolly, Siku, Britains, Kids Globe, Tractor Ted and Grassmen. “The toyshop is going really well,” says proud Dad Arnold. “He didn’t get it opened in time for Christmas last year but he has done a great job with it IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

and there’s a lot of interest in the toys.

We’re looking forward to providing a great range of products for this year’s Christmas market.”

Gainful employment is provided to a team of 16 across the operation and business continues to grow. Arnold has three sales men out on the road – James Warnock, Malcolm Beattie and Jason

Beattie – who are doing a great job spreading awareness.

All in all, this excellent family business is moving in the right direction some 66 years since its inception and all the evidence suggests that there are plenty more chapters yet to be written in this particular success story.

47

barry farm designed_Layout 1 25/08/2015 16:45 Page 1

\

Land owned by the Barry family in Co. Kerry

B

A family affair

rothers James and Padraig Barry run separate farms in Lixnaw and Listowel, Co. Kerry along with their uncle Con. The family has also recently set up an agricultural contracting business to cater for the needs of local farmers.

well as milking 300 cows, they finish about 1,000 beef cattle every year and also grow winter and spring wheat, spring barley and maize.

In the past year, they have branched into the agri contracting sector with the formation of J, P & C De Barra Contracting Ltd. There is no such thing as a quiet time of the year for this wellThe Barry’s operate enterprises which respected family, who wouldn’t have it include a large dairy farm in Lixnaw and a any other way.

For James and Padraig, farming has dry stock and tillage farm in Listowel. As

48

CONTACT DETAILS Barry Farming / J, P & C De Barra Contracting Ltd Muckenaugh, Lixnaw, Tralee, Co. Kerry.

Telephone: 087 9258337 Email: barryfarming@gmail.com IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

barry farm designed_Layout 1 25/08/2015 16:45 Page 2

always been a way of life. The excellent working relationship that exists between the brothers and their uncle makes the task of milking 300 cows twice-a-day a good deal easier.

“We share the milking duties between us. When you have three pairs of hands, you are able to do other things. We are not ‘tied’ to the milking parlour like some people are,” James says.

The Barry’s have travelled a rocky road to get to where they are now with their dairy enterprise.

In 2000 and 2002, their herd was devastated by separate brucellosis outbreaks.

Undeterred, the family bought in IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

The Barry’s milk 300 Holstein cows

49

barry farm designed_Layout 1 25/08/2015 16:45 Page 3

Leahy Agri Best Wishes To The Barry Family Farm From

Business Ltd

SILAGE HARVESTING • MAIZE UNDER PLASTIC GRAIN AND BEET • GPS SPRAYING AND FERTILISER DUMPER AND DIGGER HIRE

Contact Kevin 087-7837447 or Maurice 086-6087246

MASSEY FERGUSON

Continued Best Wishes To The Barry Family Farm

ARY N I R

CENTRE LIS

Wishing Continued Success To The Barry Family Farm

Thank you for your support & business and looking forward to many more

VE

Best Wishes To The Barry Family Farm

TO

Tadgh Horan M.V.B., M.R.C.V.S.

VETERINARY SURGEON

W

EL

TE

OPENING HOURS Monday - Saturday 9am-6pm Sunday 12.30pm - 1.30pm 3 The Square, Listowel, Co.Kerry

Tel: 068-22335 ( Office & Home)

Best wishes to The Barry Family Farm, from

FARM HOME STORES KERRY AGRIBUSINESS

Kilmallock Road, Charleville, Co Cork Tel: 063 35000

LISTOWEL TYRE CENTRE

Wishing Barry Family Farm Every Success In The Future from

TYRES, PUNCTURE REPAIR, BALANCING, 4 WHEEL ALIGNMENT, ALLOYED WHEELS, BATTERIES, TRUCK & AGRI TYRES & REPAIRS, CALL OUT BREAKDOWN SERVICE

Clieveragh Commercial Park, Ballylongford Road, Listowel, Co. Kerry Tel: 068-53800 Mobile: 086-6009442

50

Continued Best Wishes To The Barry Family Farm From

Installation and Maintenance of Farm, Domestic & Commercial Refrigeration 32 Ard Na Lí, Tralee, Co. Kerry Tel: 066-7126142 Mobile: 087-2566360 Email: nrservicesltd@gmail.com

Best Wishes & Continued Success To The Barry Family Farm From

Market Street, Listowel, Co Kerry Phone: +353 68 50900 Email: info@pierse.ie www.pierse.ie IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

barry farm designed_Layout 1 25/08/2015 16:45 Page 4

The milk is supplied to the Kerry Group in Listowel

140 pedigree Holstein Friesian cows in 2003. Two years later, they purchased a 200-acre farm in Listowel, which allowed them to more than double their milk quota from 180,000 to 380,000 gallons.

“The farm in Listowel, which is eight miles from our home farm in Lixnaw, came with its own milking parlour,” James explains.

“But having invested in a new milking parlour in Lixnaw just a few years earlier, we decided to keep our dairy operations there. Our farm in Lixnaw is 120 acres and is big enough to cater for our dairy herd.”

Two separate calving seasons between mid-October to early December, and mid-January to mid-April, means there are always cows to be milked. The pedigree herd is milked at a 20unit Dairymaster parlour which features swing-over arms, automatic feeders and automatic cluster movers.

Headquartered in nearby Causeway, Dairymaster is recognised as a world leader in dairy equipment manufacturing with customers in over 40 countries worldwide.

“After 15 years, the parlour is going like a bomb,” James enthuses.

“While Dairymaster have become a global company, they still look after the locals. Their aftercare service has always been top-class.”

The Barry’s supply their milk to the Kerry Group plant in Listowel. Kerry Group has enjoyed phenomenal success since commencing operations in the north Kerry town in 1972. It is now a leading player in the global food industry with current annualised sales of approximately €5.8 billion. Well-known butter spreads and margarine spreads, such as Dairygold, Kerrymaid and Low-Low, are produced in Listowel.

There were many column inches given to the lifting of milk quotas on March 31st last after 30 years in which Irish dairy farmers were restricted on the amount of milk they could produce. Now, new rules mean they can produce as much milk as they want, leading to fears of overproduction.

“I believe they went a step too far by abolishing milk quotas completely,” a sceptical James says.

“I would be fearful for the future of people who have borrowed IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

heavily to increase their herd size and invest in new equipment.

We were tempted to add to our herd, but have decided to adopt a ‘wait-and-see’ policy. What happened in places like New Zealand, where huge losses were experienced after milk quotas were lifted, should be a lesson to Irish farmers.”

“Milk is heading to a price that’s unsustainable for farmers.

Ideally, we should be getting 35c a litre rather than the 27c we are getting at the moment. There is no point in producing more milk for less profit.”

He adds: “Instead of abolishing the milk quota overnight, I think Europe should have considered the French and German model which suggested that milk quotas be raised by five per cent each year over the next four years. I hope I’m proved wrong, but I’m very worried about where the Irish milk industry is heading.”

The calves born on the Barry farmstead are a mixture of Holstein Friesian, Aberdeen Angus and Hereford. They keep the Friesian heifers as replacements for their dairy herd, while the Angus and Hereford are reared for beef.

Wishing continued success to the Barry Family & their Well Proven Farming Enterprise from all at Allennutrition

51

john thorne designed_Layout 1 25/08/2015 16:58 Page 1

John Thorne Jnr and Matt checking the parsnips

L

Premium parsnips producer

ocated in the agricultural heartland of North County Dublin, John Thorne & Sons is a mixed farming enterprise that specialises in parsnip and potato production. We popped into the family business’s well-appointed Hedgestown, Lusk HQ to find out more about this exceptional operation.

52

At the tender ages (by farming standards) of 39 and 30 respectively, John Thorne Jnr. and his brother Matt are widely recognised amongst the country’s leading parsnip growers.

They also produce potatoes and cereals and oversee a superb suckler beef enterprise. Overall, it’s a huge undertaking by any standards!

It takes a massive amount of work

CONTACT DETAILS John Thorne & Sons Hedgestown Lusk Co. Dublin

IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

john thorne designed_Layout 1 25/08/2015 16:58 Page 2

and commitment to keep all aspects of the business firing on full cylinders, but farming is very much in the blood and the affable Dub wouldn’t have it any other way…

“My father - John Thorne Snr., who is semi-retired now, started farming 50 years ago. He left school when he was 15 and has been farming ever since. He farmed with his father and brothers but then went out on his own when myself and my brother Matt were old enough to join him,” reflects John Jnr. Thus was born John Thorne & Sons, which has evolved into one of the island’s premier parsnip producers … and a lot more besides!

“Traditionally, we did a wide spread of vegetables but in the last ten years we have specialised in parsnips and potatoes. We also grow cereals for rotation purposes. Ten years ago, we bought a suckler herd and we have 80 beef cattle here at the moment.”

The Thornes own 130 acres and – including conacre - farm 650 acres in total, all within a 20-mile radius of their yard in Lusk. Down through the years, they have forged a stellar reputation for growing excellent quality parsnips and this has seen John Thorne & Sons evolve into one of the largest parsnip producers in the country.

“We grow 160 acres of parsnips and that keeps us very busy during the

winter,” John continues. “We do around 80 acres of potatoes now. We used to do a lot more but the demand just isn’t there anymore so we cut back.”

Parsnips are predominantly distributed to Super Valu and Musgraves via Total Produce and into other multiples through Meade Potato Company. “We wash and bag the potatoes ourselves and these are sold to wholesalers around the country and into the Dublin markets,” John Jnr notes.

The family business – which is fronted

by John Snr and his wife Mary alongside Matt, John Jnr. and his wife Orla – is a vital source of revenue in the local community, providing gainful employment to a team of 15 for most of the year, which can go up to 20-25 during peak times, especially during the month of December when demand for parsnips is at its highest.

Some 350 acres of cereal is grown, roughly half and half between wheat and barley, depending on rotation at any given time. Customers include Whites Agri and Quinns in Baltinglass. “We wean and sell the bullocks in Ardee Mart and we fatten the heifers ourselves over the winter using our own waste vegetables,” says John.

All in all, it’s a very impressive and coordinated operation – but this of course counts for nothing unless a profit is being made. “Margins are tight but we’re doing

okay at the minute. We’re managing to pay our bills and keep the machinery up to date and we’re keeping our heads above water.”

Speaking of machinery, the fleet comprises seven tractors – three New Hollands, three Massey Fergusons and one John Deere. Proximity to main New Holland dealer Armstrong Machinery Ltd. works very much in John Thorne & Sons favour. “We bought two new tractors this year, a new teleporter in 2014 and a new tractor in 2013.

“We also purchased a self-propelled parsnip harvester from Jones Engineering in England last year, which can do four rows at a time. With that machine, we can harvest in one-fifth of the time and at a much lower cost.” The Thornes also operate a self-propelled Grimme harvester (they were growing 200 acres of potatoes at one stage), a John Deere combine for cutting corn, andas couple of delivery lorries.

To what extent is the potential for growing the business restricted by the unavailability of additional land in the immediate vicinity? “Land is hard to get and good land is even harder to get,” John confirms. “And you need very good land. Having said that, there’s no point growing more crops if you don’t have the market. And parsnips are far too expensive a crop to be growing without demand. It all depends on demand. With

Three generations of the Thorne family with some of their machinery, l/r: John Snr, Eoin (John Jnr's son), John Jnr and Matt IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

53

john thorne designed_Layout 1 25/08/2015 16:59 Page 3

Best Wishes & Continued Success To John Thorne & Sons, From

Potatoes Fruit & Vegetables

Best Wishes & Continued Success to John Thorne & Sons

67 Dublin Street, Balbriggan, Co. Dublin.

Telephone:01-6901010 Fax: 01-8417527

n y F ox A g ri n h Jo

Best Wishes To John Thorne & Sons, From

Growers Packers & Distributors

Best Wishes To John Thorne & Sons, From

SPECIALISING IN LIME SPREADING All Types of Agricultural Services SLANE, CO. MEATH

Tel:087-2630112 E:johnnyfox-agri@hotmail.com

PAT FLYNN Best Wishes To John Thorne & Sons, From

Naul

Trading as D.&P. Services

SEPTIC TANK CLEANING SERVICES AGRI CONTRACTOR

FINGAL AREA | Permits for Meath, Louth & Dublin

MOBILE: 087 2456655 | 086 8887949 Tel: 01 8415586 LICENSED DISPOSAL

IRISH &

AGRI

WOULD YOU LIKE YOUR COMPANY FEATURED

Email: chris.bollard@goldcrop.ie

54

Call Barry now on 00353 (0) 46 9241923 IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

john thorne designed_Layout 1 25/08/2015 16:59 Page 4

Harvesting winter barley

the machinery I have here now, I can fill any order; if you need an extra six tonnes of parsnips, you could pick them in an hour.

“But it’s not easy to expand your market. There is severe competition in the market, especially from imports and between the multiples. Realistically, you can only actively increase your market share by dropping your prices and taking somebody else’s and that is bad practice for everybody. We’re certainly not going to go down that road.”

Looking to the future, John’s goal is to continue working hard and providing a high-quality product. “We’ll keep going, keep the heads down and maybe expand a little bit,” he concludes.

“But we are doing nearly as much as we can at the minute and we’d be more than happy just to consolidate. I’ve a son, who’s twelve, and we’ll see if maybe there’s a future for him in it – if that’s what he wants.

“I’m 39 myself and there aren’t too many 39-year-olds out there growing vegetables. Young men don’t seem to be going into farming. Back in the day, my father would have grown everything – celery, cabbage, cauliflower, leaks, you name it…

- but the trend now is to specialise in one area and that’s where the future is.

“We place a huge emphasis on quality. We have a good agronomist here, Johnny Hogan, who was actually my teacher when I did my Green Cert in Warrenstown Agricultural College. We use the best inputs and the parsnips are monitored closely and looked after

by Matt all summer to ensure they are good to go for the winter time. We harvest them properly, making sure there is no damage and we use the most up-to-date washing systems.

Quality doesn’t just happen by chance – to get the best quality produce, you have to keep your eye on the ball all Best Wishes the time.”

IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

The parsnip harvester

Email: eurooil@gmail.com

& Continued Success To John Thorne & Sons 55

raymond maloney designed_Layout 1 25/08/2015 16:37 Page 1

Last year, 14,800 bales were baled by Raymond

T

A prompt service

here are many agricultural contractors throughout Ireland and all are currently working 24/7 during these summer months.

The roads are awash with tractors and trailers, silage harvesters, balers as contractors look to get the work done as efficiently and as quickly as possible.

Time is of the essence for farmers as given the volatile nature of the Irish climate, they only have a small window to get their work done.

These few months are critical to farmers as it sees the feed being produced for their livestock for the winter time and they need someone they can trust to carry out the work.

That is why many farmers stick to what they know best in regards to contractors, although loyalty would go out the window

56

if it was found that a contractor wasn’t doing the job to their liking.

It is essential for Agricultural Contractors to have the best of machinery available to them for a number of reasons including the fact that modern machinery can get through so much more work than its predecessors, while downtime is a word contractors never want to use. Having a top of the range fleet reduces the chances of breakdowns significantly and that is what farmers like to hear.

For this month’s edition of Irish Tractor, we profile Galway based Agricultural Contractor Raymond Moloney who tells us how he got into this game and he reveals that putting the customer first is always their priority.

Raymond Moloney Plant & Agri Hire was established in 2000 and its customer base has continuously grown over the years, while the majority of customers are

repeat custom.

“I come from a farming background. We farmed dry stock, sheep and tillage. My father Michael would do a bit of contracting locally most round baling and wrapping,” said Raymond.

“I decided to start up myself in 2000 and mainly I focus on round baling and wrapping, slurry and some tillage work.

Dad would still be involved and does a bit

CONTACT DETAILS Raymond Moloney Plant & Agri Hire, Belleville, Monivea, Co Galway.

Mob: 087-2976718 e-mail: raymondmoloney@gmail.com

IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

raymond maloney designed_Layout 1 25/08/2015 16:37 Page 2

A Claas Dominator has got through sterling work since been bought a few years ago

of square baling. Many of the customers that I had when I started out would be still with me, while the customer base has grown a good bit over the years.

“The customers would be within a 15mile radius of our home place in

The machinery is kept in pristine condition

Monivea, Co Galway, which means during peak season, we can get from farm to farm very quickly.”

Raymond acknowledges the fact that time is everything when the work has to be done and they are willing to put in

long hours in order to meets the farmers’ demands.

“Coming from a farming background, we understand the farmers’ needs. We know that during the summer period, we have to work for as long as possible to

A new McHale Fusion 3 Baler in operation IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

57

raymond maloney designed_Layout 1 25/08/2015 16:37 Page 3

get the work done.

“The Irish weather is not the most predictable and when you do get a few days or a week of sun, then everyone is looking for you at the one time, so you have to get to each as quickly as possible, which is never the easiest, but we manage.”

To do this, Raymond revealed that he has a modern fleet of machinery, which is upgraded on a regular basis in order to maintain their high standards.

“We have a decent fleet here all of which is relatively new, while we bought a new Claas this year from Quigley’s who are main dealers and offer a very good service. The New Holland came from W.R Shaw, while the Fendt was bought in McHales.”

Raymond employs two people full time, and then another two part-timers are brought in for the summer as they focus on baling for the few months.

“Last year, we baled 14,800 round bales. We bought a new McHale Fusion 3 baler and that helped has made some difference to us. There is also a big demand for square bales down here and in 2013, we actually baled 7,000 of them. We use a baler that is actually 30 years old now, for baling square bales. We keep it well maintained and it is still working as well as it was when my father first bought it.”

Raymond added that they did the majority of their own maintenance and it stressed that this was an essential part of the business.

“Any chance we would get, the machinery would be brought in and checked over. If something needs to be done, we will do it there and then. You can’t be breaking down on the job, that’s the last thing a farmer wants to see. We upgrade the machinery on every year or so, you have to these days in order to keep up with the workload.”

For the tillage work, Raymond operates a 1997 Claas Dominator, which was purchased a few years back, and is still going strong today. The winter months are obviously a quieter period, but that is when slurry and agitating took over, although the ban of spreading slurry during the winter month’s doesn’t help.

“We would do a lot of reseeding work also. We have a disc power harrow and a plough for this type of work and it is a big part of our business.”

Raymond also provides tractor and dump trailer hire, which is generally used during the latter stages of the year also.

“I’m happy enough with the workload that we have at the minute and as long as our customers are happy then we must be doing something right.”

Best Wishes To Raymond Moloney Plant & Agri Hire, From

Rabbitt Tractor Sales Ltd Main Case IH Dealer

Monivea Road, Athenry, Co. Galway Telephone: 091-844 300

Continued success to Raymond Moloney Plant & Agri Hire, from

TYRES FOR AGRICULTURAL EQUIPMENT, CARS & 4X4, OILS & LUBRICANTS HYDRAULIC HOSE REPAIRS & MANUFACTURER SUPPLIER OF TRACTOR PARTS

OLD ROAD, ABBEYKNOCKMOY, TUAM, CO. GALWAY

TEL: 093 43500

EMAIL: SALES@FORDEBROS.IE

www.fordebros.ie

LIAM KELLY AGRI

Best Wishes To Raymond Moloney Plant & Agri Hire, From

BALING SILAGE SLURRY & LIME SPREADING

Telephone:087-2606338

Cussane, Athenry, Co. Galway

58

Stewarts Oil is a family-owned business supplying heating oil to homes and businesses in counties Roscommon, Leitrim, Sligo, Galway

Boyle, Co. Roscommon T: 071 967 0100 E: orders@stewarts.ie www.stewarts.ie BEST WISHES TO RAYMOND MOLONEY PLANT & AGRI HIRE

Enda Sweeney

Best Wishes & Continued Success To Raymond Moloney Plant & Agri Hire From

AGRI & PLANT HIRE LTD

Tel:087-2382627

Ballinahattina, Mountbellew, Co. Galway Email: endasweeney@gmail.com

IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

stuart crawford designed_Layout 1 25/08/2015 16:42 Page 1

S

Newlands Farm has the winning touch

tuart Crawford is one of Northern Ireland’s most respected up-and-coming horse trainers. We travelled to his Newlands Farm base near Larne, County Antrim to find out more about the progressive family enterprise, Crawford Brothers Racing, which he runs alongside his three brothers.

County Antrim based trainer Stuart Crawford - whose earlier grounding was in eventing first took out a full public license in 2011, having trained under permit for the preceding three years. He trains his horses on the wellappointed, family-run Newlands Farm, receiving assistance from brothers Steven, Ben (stable jockeys) and Ross, and has excelled in racing.

Stuart first hit the headlines in 2008, when he sent out ten-year-old mare Oh Jackie to register his first racecourse success in the prestigious La Touché Cup at the Punchestown Festival. The Antrim man’s experience in the eventing arena stood him in good stead, with the horses required to jump an array of fences including banks, timber and water jumps.

On May 1st of this year, Crawford Brothers Racing trained the progressive 20-1 shot Now Let Go to win the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders Association Premier Fillies Bumper at the Punchestown Festival under a positive ride

Robert Crawford, Steven Crawford, Anthony Fox, Edith Crawford and Stuart Crawford with Taniokey. Robert and Edith are jockey Steven and trainer Stuart’s parents.

from claimer Steven Clements. The Flemensfirth mare made all the running from halfway out to win by two-and-a-quarter lengths to claim the first prize fund of €24,500.

At the same meeting, the Crawford Bros Racing quartet also picked up sixth place with Realta Horse Racing Club’s Danielle’s Journey under a good ride from Steven Crawford in a hard-fought 24-runner race.

In 2013, Stuart and Steven brought the

curtain down in style on Ladies’ Day at Aintree when unbeaten Legacy Gold claimed the John Smith’s Mares’ National Hunt Flat Race by alength-and-a-half. Those stunning victories for Now Let Go and Legacy Gold have provided the team at Crawford Brothers Racing with their most notable wins to date.

Other significant winners trained by S R B Crawford this summer include The Organist, Chitu and Run With The Wind at Perth in May,

Hidden Horizons and the Crawford Racing Brothers team after their Ulster National win. Picture courtesy of Harry Marcus IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

59

stuart crawford designed_Layout 1 25/08/2015 16:42 Page 2

TULLYRAINE EQUINE CLINIC

37, Quarry Road, Banbridge, County Down Tel/Fax: 0044 (0)28 40624566 O.O.H.: 0044 (0)28 40630385 Email: tullyraine@btconnect.com

www.tullyraine.com Best wishes to SRB Crawford

Kilcross Feeds Continued Success To SRB Crawford From

CATTLE, SHEEP & HORSE FEED Nutt’s Corner, Crumlin, Co. Antrim

E:gerald.erwin1@btinternet.com

T:0044-7831577742

Robin McCann Best Wishes & Continued Success To SRB Crawford From

Agricultural Contractor

26 Larne Road, Ballynure, Ballyclare BT39 9UA

N

E & L T SO T Y L A

J

Telephone: Home 028-9335 2722 Mobile: 07980253976

June and July respectively. Within a relatively-short space of time, Stuart and his brothers have earned a great reputation for themselves as one of the premier horse-training enterprises in Northern Ireland.

Reflecting on how he got involved in the sport of kings, the affable Antrim man notes: “My father farms at home and there were always ponies there and I was around them from a very young age. It was just a natural progression from there, really.”

Stuart started in the pony club and worked his way up to three-day eventing. He was good enough to represent Ireland at the World Equestrian Games [in 1998]. “But the eventing is more of a rich man’s hobby – there’s a lot of money tied up in it but not much to be made,” he reflects. “We made our money by selling our horses on in June, July, August time, which was obviously frustrating because you want to bring a horse on as far as you can yourself.

“In the winter, I started to do a bit of pre-training. I got my first pointto-point winner in 2005-2006 and it snowballed from there. I was still eventing but over the next three or four years the balance swung towards the thoroughbred and training. The last time I rode at an event was around 2009/2010 and the racing side of things has taken over completely since then.”

So would it be accurate to suggest that Stuart became a National Hunt trainer by accident rather than design? “No, it’s something I was always interested in, to be honest. Physically, I was probably a bit too tall to become a jockey but I loved the cross-country aspect of threeday eventing and I was lucky enough to win a Young Rider Team Gold Medal at European level in 1995. It just took off from a young age and I kept at it. But one thing led to another and the thoroughbred and racing side of things has just snowballed…”

Stuart has a particular penchant for breaking young, unproven horses. His selection and preparation of young horses is a rare talent that has resulted in numerous first-time winners on the racecourse, as highlighted when he landed the bumper on Super Saturday at the Down Royal Festival in 2012 with highly-regarded newcomer Gilt Shadow under a ride from Steven. That completed a Crawford double on the day with Latin Connection partnered by brother Ben (the 2012 Ulster Region point-to-point champion) winning the Tayto Hurdle earlier in the day.

Another brother, Ross, also travels with the Crawford runners and supervises on race days while Steven and Ben are normally in the saddle … but all four can be seen in action during early mornings on their excellent uphill woodchip gallop just outside the village of Glynn, where the 60-acre Newlands Farm boasts a sizeable, family run team dedicated to ensuring that all horses are superbly prepared for race days and well looked after.

“Since the beginning, I’ve never really got horses that knew their business,” says Stuart. “We started with young horses, did a bit of pretraining, then got a few of our own. We were working with three-yearolds and producing them. That was our bread and butter, but in the last three years we’ve started to attract better horses that people want

PLANT HIRE Est 1993

FOR ALL YOUR SITE WORK, LAND DRAINAGE, AGRI & EQUESTRIAN WORK, HEDGECUTTING, TRACTOR & DUMP TRAILER WORK Contact Jim on 07711405676 Roger 07714769364

Wishing Continued Success To SRB Crawford

60

IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

stuart crawford designed_Layout 1 25/08/2015 16:42 Page 3

us to keep on and take to the next level, and that’s a challenge that we relish.

“I like to see a horse do its best, whether we keep it or not. Ideally, you like to keep all the good ones and that would be great, but not every owner has the means to turn down good money.”

How does Stuart measure his success – in terms of the work that goes in and the progress that’s made behind the scenes or by the number of winners achieved? “You’re happy once the horses are making progress but obviously it’s great to be getting winners, be that mid-week at one of the smaller meetings that nobody sees or at Cheltenham, Aintree, Punchestown or Ayr. Those are the four of the five biggest National Hunt festivals and if you can hit the board at any of those meetings there is a bit more at stake. One win there is like 15 other wins…

“Fortunately, I’ve had a win at Aintree at the Grand National meeting and a couple of wins at Punchestown and that gives you a taste for more. Those are the ones everybody wants.

Even to be competing there is great but winners at the big tracks can make or break your season.”

Does a big win give the trainer an appetite for more of the same? “Of course it does. I remember thinking I’d love to get third place at point-to-point; then you want a winner; gradually you keep shifting your goals; that’s what we have done and we have kept getting better. But the bottom line is keeping the business going and that’s easier when you are buying proven horses.”

In total, Crawford Brothers Racing can care for around 60 horses. At the time of writing, Stuart was looking after some 25 three-yearolds, which were being painstakingly broken, as well as a few older horses which were being kept in the stables over the summer.

“The National Hunt season now starts earlier and runs later, so you only get a bit of a break,” he points out.

How difficult is it to generate a profit?

Working with horses is all fine and well but it has to be a viable commercial enterprise, too – is this demanding? “At the end of the day, you love what you’re doing but you have to try to make a living out of it,” Stuart accepts.

“There are two sides to it for us – training and also the buying and selling. You’d like to make money on both. There’s always a new gallop to fit or a horse walker to be fixed.

“A lot of trainers have been finding it very tight. The recession has resulted in fewer owners and fewer horses being trained, but we have been incredibly lucky in that out business has been growing for the past four or five years. You constantly do your best to upgrade each of the horses in your care.”

The results to date speak for themselves.

IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

Legacy Gold won the Mares Bumper at the Aintree Grand National Festival in 2013

Fine Rightly won a Grade 3 Novices Chase in March for Stuart’s long-term owner Patricia Duffin. He has also won a Grade 2 Bumper.

The Organist, owned by Edith Crawford, was ridden by Steven to win a bumper in Perth in May.

61

walter moroney designed_Layout 1 26/08/2015 11:04 Page 1

“Our aim is to be with the customer when he wants us. Service is No.1.”

Great service all round

F

or round baling and a lot more besides, Walter Moroney Agri Contractor in County Clare is one of the best in the business. We dropped into Walter’s O’Callaghans Mills base to discuss the history of the family business, the range of services offered and the superb fleet of machinery at his disposal.

CONTACT DETAILS Walter Moroney Agri Contractor O’Callaghan’s Mills Co. Clare Tel: 087 9112319

62

Walter has a superb fleet of machinery at his disposal.

IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

walter moroney designed_Layout 1 26/08/2015 11:04 Page 2

One of Walter Moroney’s three New Hollands

Walter has been working the land for a quarter of a century

Sometimes it’s just simply in the blood: Walter Moroney - a well-known face in the local ploughing championships scene has been working the land for 25 years … even though he’s only 35! Reflecting on the genesis of the family agri contracting service, he notes: “My father Liam would have started it and he has been contracting all his life. He did square baling and pit silage initially and got into the round baling in 1990.

“I started with him around that time as a young lad. Dad continued to work full belt up until last year but he is 70 now and had taken a bit of a back seat. My mother Carmel and wife Claire have also made big contributions to the business.”

Walter is renowned across East Clare for his excellent round baling service, which accounts for a large percentage of his overall work. The full range of services offered would include: round baling, wrapping, mowing and raking; digger work, drainage and plant hire; lime spreading; reseeding; and slurry spreading (power harrow).

For the last couple of years, Walter has held the contract to provide round baling for Shannon Airport, where he does up to 500 acres per year under unique and demanding conditions.

Tommy Nagle, who is foreman at Shannon Airport, is more than happy with the service provided: “We have had no problem whatsoever with Walter and couldn’t be happier with his work. He is very conscientious and is working in a potentially dangerous situation where planes would be taking off and the grass has to be collected as it is mowed. Out of all the contractors we have worked with over the years, he is definitely one of the best. It’s high-pressure work but Walter has come up trumps. He came in with a brand-new baler this year and got the job done with no fuss. This is a very specialist IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

area but he has been a good man to work with and we are very happy with him.”

Walter runs two balers - a McHale Fusion and a McHale standard 550 baler. He also operates two John Deere mowers, a Claas rake, McHale wrapper, a new McCauley low loader and a Hyundai digger as well as assorted slurry tankers, agitators and power harrows. Tractor-wise, the Clare man runs three New Hollands, a McCormick MTX150 and a new Landini 7 series 145.

Walter is also a qualified mechanic by trade. He looks after all fleet maintenance and repairs in-house and works hard to ensure that the machinery is firing on all cylinders at all times.

Of course, this also involves regular investment in fresher gear.

“It has to be right,” he states. “I’ve bought the new McHale Fusion this year as well as a new low loader. We also purchased a new mower last year and a second-hand digger.

Generally, we try to add one new piece each year.”

The quality of service provided is such that customer loyalty levels are exceptionally high. “We have customers dating back to when my father was starting off and they are all 100% reliable. We have an awful lot of baling customers and you couldn’t praise them enough. I know them all on a personal level at this stage and they’re all good people. I pride myself on providing a good service and if I say I’ll be there then I will be there. You just keep running with it and do the best you can.

You’d always pick up new customers along the way, too, so we are kept very busy.”

Indeed, the summer of 2015 has been a busy one: “We had a very busy month of June,” says Walter. “We were flat out seven days a week. Round baling has taken over completely

63

walter moroney designed_Layout 1 26/08/2015 11:04 Page 3

from pit silage in East Clare and that’s what they are all going for here. The crops were good this year and the land was dry and we were flat out.

“As we can do in three hours now what would have taken a whole day 15 years ago, that means you are even busier! We’re covering a lot more ground and I’ll consider buying a second McHale Fusion next year.”

Walter had four great lads working alongside him, while his Dad still helps out part-time. Eddie Hannon is his right hand man and he also gets tremendous assistance from Colm McGrath, Padraig Minogue and Joey O’Brien.

All in all, it’s a superb operation – but how hard is it to make a profit at the end of each week? “You incur a lot of expenses to get those bales out,” Walter concedes. “You have wages and diesel and equipment and parts to pay for before you get any money in, so it’s a constant battle. I keep a good stock of parts here in the garage, so I rarely get caught out. Downtime would be a real killer so you have to avoid it.

But the McHale equipment is good and gives very little trouble and the John Deere mowers are also very good. We keep the whole thing running as close to clockwork as we possibly can.”

The Moroneys are renowned across East Clare for a fantastic round baling service

There is no rocket science or complex logarithms behind Walter Moroney’s approach to overseeing a successful agri contracting service. “Our aim is to be with the customer when he wants us,” he concludes. “Service is No.1 – be there when he wants you and beat the rain.

Wishing Continued Success To Walter Moroney Agri From

LIAM MULQUEEN LIVESTOCK HAULIER/ AGENT

SUPPLIER OF FERTILIZER, FEED, MINERAL LICKS GRASS SEED & SILAGE WRAP Lakeville, Claremount, Broadford, Co. Clare.

T:061-473388 F:061-473996 E: liammulqueen@eircom.net Mobiles 087-2527749 (Liam)

MICHEÁL O’DWYER

Best wishes & continued success to Walter Moroney Agri, from Deerpark, Doora, Co. Clare

Tel: MICHEÁL: 086-4014148 FOR FERTILISER SPREADING, SPRAYING, SLURRY SPREADING, RAKING, TEDDING & RE-SEEDING WITH A GUTTTLERGREEN MASTER

64

We pride ourselves on our service levels and I’m confident that all of our customers would agree with that. So they keep coming back.

“We’re not going to let our standards drop. If anything, we’ll strive to keep improving the service even more.”

HOARE MACHINERY LTD Best Wishes To Walter Moroney Agri From

Tulligmore, Killorglin, Co. Kerry Supplier of all Farm Machinery, Builders Plant, Dumpers, Diggers and parts to suit all your agriculture needs.

Tel:066-9761314 -Tim 086-2564943 hoaremachinery@hotmail.com

Gaffney Halpin Murphy & Co. Best Wishes To Walter Moroney Agri From Registered Auditors & Accountants We provide the folllowing servcies

New Business Start up’s & Business Advisory Service Audit & Accounting • Tax Compliance & Planning Company Secretarial • Insolvency Experts- PIP Registered Financial Restructuring • Bank Negotiations Corporate Recovery & Liquidations Personal Insolvency & Debt Resolutions Statutory Auditors & Certified Accountants For further information and a free consultation contact John Gaffney, Jim Halpin, Kevin Murphy, Nicola Crabb, Mary Reynolds or Olivia Moran at 065-6864162 Lahinch Road, Ennis, Co.Clare T:065-6864162 F:065-6864166 Email: info@ghmaccountants.com

IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

PJK Steel designed_Layout 1 26/08/2015 11:21 Page 1

PJK specialise in the construction and erection of all types of agricultural and commercial buildings

L

Fit for purpose

ooking to erect a quality steel framed building on your farm? Look no further than PJK Structural Steel Ltd.

As one of the leading suppliers of steel frame buildings to the agricultural and commercial markets in the north east of the country, Louth-based PJK Structural Steel Ltd pride themselves on delivering a cost-effective product to a high standard.

PJ Kelly has been erecting steel for longer than he cares to remember - 25 years to be exact - and during that time he has developed a reputation for quality workmanship within the industry.

Located just a few kilometres from Ardee town in Co Louth, PJK Structural Steel Ltd specialises in the construction and erection of all types of agricultural and commercial buildings, all of which are built exactly to the customers requests.

Backboned by PJ's experience and knowledge, the Kelly family run business IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

takes care of all of the construction and erection work and the main aim of the business is to provide the best service possible with the highest quality materials.

Starting from the initial enquiry and ending in the final construction, their customers have the confidence that each stage will be given the attention to detail that result in an exceptionally well

CONTACT DETAILS

PJK Structural Steel Ltd Coole Ardee Co Louth Tel: 041-6853701 Fax: 041-6856296 Email: pjksteel@eircom.net Web: www.pjkstructuralsteel.ie

65

PJK Steel designed_Layout 1 26/08/2015 11:21 Page 2

finished end product.

From quotation to construction a friendly, helpful and knowledgeable team will be dedicated to giving you the steel building best suited to your needs, within budget and on time, with a personal feel that shows PJK's dedication to customer satisfaction.

Their product is manufactured in their modern 10,000 sq ft workshop.

“I'm on site all the time, I'd be very much hands on when it comes to erecting the buildings,” PJ explained to Irish Tractor & Agri magazine. “I've been erecting steel and sheds since I was a young lad. I'm 54 now and it's 25 years since we started the business.

“We have experienced fabricators in the workshop and then a few of us, myself included, out on site. We've been fortunate to have enjoyed a lot of repeat business down through the years I think our customers appreciate the way we operate.

“It may sound simple but always doing a good job is the name of this game.”

PJ Kelly's customers can have no complaints on that front.

With a number of skilled employees on the company payroll, including PJ's son Tony, they use various different construction methods and finishes are employed depending on whether the

Best Wishes & Continued Success To PJK Structural Steel From

Industrial, Heavy duty and Marine Coatings Unit 9,Ashbourne Business Centre, Ashbourne,Co. Meath.

Tel: 00353 (0)1 8352900 Fax: 00353 (0)1 8352901 www.ipccoatings.net

Wishing PJK Structural Steel Continued Success In The Future From

PATRICK R. CALLAN & CO.

Chartered Certified Accountants & Registered Auditors Tax Consultants and Financial Advisors

AUDIT & ACCOUNTANCY | TAXATION INVESTMENT BUSINESS | COMPANY SECRETARIAL CONSULTANCY | BOOKKEEPING

OFFICIAL BROKER TO THE IRISH FARM BUILDING CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION

www.prcallanacca.com

www.bbiireland.ie

Malta House, Sean O' Carroll Street, Ardee, Co. Louth Tel : +353 41 685 7165 Fax : +353 41 685 7914 Email : info@prcallanacca.com

66

Best Wishes To PJK Structural Steel, From

Call us today for a business insurance quote on 049-4331038

IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

PJK Steel designed_Layout 1 26/08/2015 11:21 Page 3

building is for commercial or agricultural use.

Fully insured and certified, and compliant with all health and safety requirements, they fabricate and erect all types of agricultural buildings and all are available with various types of finishes.

The structural end of these buildings is shot blasted and primed and can be finished with a painted surface including M10 grant approved paint.

If required all structural components can be hot dip zinc galvanized.

As regards commercial buildings, all aspects of the building are constructed in accordance with the architectural plans.

The structural end of these buildings is shot blasted and primed and can be finished with a painted surface to suit your requirements. If required all structural components can be hot dip zinc galvanized.

The buildings can be sheeted with Kingspan insulated panel in various thicknesses from 40mm to 100mm.

Examples of PJK's past projects can be found throughout the Wee County, Monaghan, north Meath, east Cavan and north county Dublin “The industrial end of things would have been the busier of the two but the agriculture side is now picking up, with an increased demand for farm sheds.

“Thankfully we're busy enough at the moment.

We'd always try to have six to eight weeks work in ahead of us.”

If you’re planning on any type of steel structure don't hesitate to give PJ & Co a call at the numbers below.

Whatever your project, whenever you need it, PJK will work towards providing you with the best, costeffective design solution to suit your requirements and the help and advice to go along with it too.

IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

PJK Structural Steel Ltd is headquartered in Ardee, Co Louth

PJK boasts a long list of satisfied customers

Best Wishes To PJK Structural Steel

67

crowes farm designed_Layout 1 26/08/2015 11:26 Page 1

John Paul Crowe with some of the 2,000 organic turkeys on Crowe’s Farm.

Organic the perfect fit for Crowe’s Farm

C

rowe’s Farm in County Tipperary produces a sumptuous range of delicious, premium bacon, beef and turkey products, with the emphasis very much on organic production methods. We travelled to their Dundrum baseand met up with John Paul Crowe to discuss the successful move towards organic production and the current well-being of this proud family enterprise.

Crowe’s Farm has embraced organic farming techniques to produce some of the tastiest and healthiest organic beef and turkeys produced on the island of Ireland. Furthermore, to produce their wide range of handmade artisan bacon products, all pigs on the farm are handreared – outdoors - by John Paul Crowe, before being processed in the state-ofthe-art family butchery and then delivered to customers nationwide.

68

Farming responsibly for generations, Crowe’s Farm are passionate about creating only the finest delicious, natural products that money can buy. They use the finest bacon, free from artificial colours, flavours and additives, to create all their delicious bacon and pork products – chops, ham, fillets, puddings, rashers, roasts and sausages. Crowe’s are committed to bacon, beef and turkey product integrity and to using the most wholesome, natural ingredients alongside business practices that respect the earth and the environment.

Referring to the growing importance of organics in day-to-day, on-farm activities and the seamless switch, John Paul notes: “We converted to organics about eight years ago and the organic end is a very big part of our ethos. We were never an intensive farm anyway, so organic was always going to be a good fit.

“We produce beef cattle and turkeys for the Christmas market organically. I run the farm end of the business and my

brothers Eamonn, TJ and Patrick run the abattoir, where they produce pork and bacon as well as hams for Christmas. We used to get a lot of customers coming in for hams and they were also looking for turkeys, so it was an obvious enough move and we’ve been producing organic turkeys for six or seven years now.”

The fresh and delicious bacon, beef and turkey products can be either bought online or in person at Crowe’s Farm’s onsite farm shop.

CONTACT DETAILS

Crowe’s Farm,

Gurtussa, Dundrum, CountyTipperary.

Tel: 062 71137 Fax: 062 71089 email: info@crowefarm.ie www.crowefarm.ie IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

crowes farm designed_Layout 1 26/08/2015 11:26 Page 2

The genesis of the proud family tradition dates back to John Paul’s great grandfather Edward and grandfather Tom, who ran a mixed enterprise – beef, dairy and sheep. His father John took over the business and in 1981 developed the specialist pork and bacon operation with which the Crowes have become synonymous over the last three-and-a-half decades.

Thus, John Paul, Eamonn, TJ and Patrick are the fourth generation to oversee this progressive family enterprise and they continue to move the business forward at pace. Today, they farm a total of 135 acres, 82 of which is owned while the remainder is leased.

The move into organic production has proven particularly successful. “In the turkey end of things, we started with 150 the first year and we are doing 2,000 bronze turkeys this year. It has grown year on year. We buy them as day old chicks and they are kept outdoors from when they are six weeks old up until December.

“The turkeys are sold online to customers nationwide. We have covered every county in Ireland, offering a next-day courier delivery service. We also do some of our own deliveries, with a van on the road and a freezer box covering Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Waterford and Ennis.”

Certified organic turkeys are raised outdoors and allowed to grow at their own pace, maturing slowly, resulting in meat that is well marbled and with a fine texture and more deposits of fat under the skin. As fats heat quicker than protein, the birds cook faster, producing a more succulent tender meat. The other aspect to these unique birds is that the turkeys are fed 100% chemical free certified organic mix that is grown locally and mixed on-farm In terms of organic beef, Crowe’s Farm have 45 sucklers and also buy in some organic calves to double- and treble-suckle.

All the beef produce goes to Good Herdsmen Ltd. in Cahir – the premium end of the organic meat market. “Our farm has always been low-input anyway so the transition to organic beef was a straightforward one,” says John Paul “Our pigs are low-intensive, outdoor-reared, in keeping with our sustainability ethos and we utilise all the fertiliser that’s produced by our cattle, turkeys and pigs on our farm as well.

As cereals are expensive to produce or purchase, everything on the farm is grass-based.”

Of course, as laudable as it is to farm organically, it would be of little use to the primary producer if a profit was not being made. How difficult is it to strike the right balance between producing organic produce and running a viable commercial enterprise?

“We looked at the amount of land we are faming and the type of land we are farming to see what was the best way to go that

KEOGH VETS Best wishes to all at CROWE’S FARM, from

Dundrum, Co. Tipperary.

Tel: 062-71195 Mobile: 087-2554503 Email: jmkeoghvets@eircom.net

IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

All of the certified organic turkeys are raised outdoors

The pigs on Crowe’s Farm are hand-reared, outdoors

would suit our farm. We concluded that organic beef was the way to go. Before we went into organic, we had a purebred beef enterprise already and the principle of organic farming attracted me as well as the economic benefits of the subsidies that are available.”

Crowe’s Farm currently provides gainful employment to ten people and John Paul is confident that this number could increase going forward. “The turkey side of the business is increasing every year and the sucklers have increased from 30 to 45, so we’re moving in the right direction,” he concludes.

“We would like to grow every aspect of the business, including the pigs. We’re also going to look at introducing our own onfarm slaughtering facility for the turkeys as well, which hopefully will be in place by next Christmas, That would generate another bit of local employment and every little bit helps.”

O’DWYER STEEL, DUNDRUM

Tel: 062 71102. Fax: 062 71412. E: Mail info@odwyersteel.ie

www.odwyersteel.ie

SUPPLIERS OF ALL TYPES OF FARM & INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS. COMPETITIVE PRICES. FULLY INSURED. SUPPLY & ERECT OR IN KITFORM. Contact: JOHN HANLY 087 8138343 MATT RYAN 087 8138341

Wishing Crowe’s Farm Continued Success 69

Lir Agri designed_Layout 1 26/08/2015 11:11 Page 1

More than €1m has been invested in the research and manufacturing facility at Granard

Ireland’s premier dairy hygiene specialist

L

ir Agri is a relatively-new local Irish company that specialises in producing a premium range of high-quality dairy hygiene products, which are developed and manufactured here in Ireland. We visited the innovative operation’s base in Granard, County Longford to find out more from founder / Michéal Savage.

Lir Agri is at the forefront of dairy biosecurity, developing superior dairy hygiene solutions here in Ireland and delivering peace of mind to end users.

Michéal Savage, who set the business up in late 2013, reflects on the genesis of the company and the thinking behind its establishment: “The bio-security market was the one we were looking at, bio-security being a scientific name for agri and bacterial hygiene. I’m an analytical chemist myself

CONTACT DETAILS Lir Agri,

Rathcronan, Granard, County Longford.

Tel: 043 666 0703 Email: info@liragri.ie www.liragri.ie

70

Lir Agri is supplying J Grennan & Sons’ six stores across Offaly and Longford. L/R: Sheelagh Grennan, Tony Makim and John Grennan of J Grennan & Sons with Micheal Savage and Neil Tully of Lir Agri

and had worked in the pharma-chemical industry, while also having strong links to farming. My father, Joe, runs a farm in Westmeath and I grew up on the family farm.

Through both those links I identified a significant gap in the market and Lir Agri was developed from there.”

The company was set up initially to provide dairy hygiene solutions but quickly identified other gaps in the market to cater for beef and pig farmers.

Lir Agri formulates and brings to market a full range of dairy and agri hygiene and cleaning products to help farmers protect their animals

by stopping the spread of bacteria and diseases that can have a detrimental effect on their business.

Equipped with state-of-the-art research and development labs to ensure the delivery of high quality products that work as they are meant to, Lir Agri is focused on bringing innovation and quality to dairy and agri hygiene. Their hygiene products are designed to solve the issues dairy farmers will face as they expand post-2015, including additional testing and stricter regulations.

More than €1 million has been invested in a new research and manufacturing facility in IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

Lir Agri designed_Layout 1 26/08/2015 11:11 Page 2

Granard. Lir Agri strives to develop the most effective, high quality products for farmers and undertakes a huge amount of research to ensure the development of exclusive and premium Irish products. To this end, the company – which is 100% Irish-owned - has partnered with Athlone Institute of Technology’s (AIT) Bioscience Research Centre to determine the most efficient substances at destroying thermoduric bacteria.

Every part of the process - from raw material intake to development to manufacture - takes place under one roof. Each product goes through a rigorous development and quality assurance process to ensure premium dairy hygiene solutions. All products are approved by the Department of Agriculture.

To ensure full accountability and traceability, every product is fully controlled throughout the manufacturing process in compliance with rigorous in-house standards and current legislation. Lir Agri’s dedicated team boasts vast experience of the agriculture, chemical, environmental, business and service industries.

With such a keen emphasis on innovation, research and development, it takes a tremendous amount of work to bring each product to the market: “A lot of work goes on behind the scenes,” Michéal confirms. “You have a nine-eighteen month research phase before you can place a new product on the market, for example a new a teat dip etc. It’s a time-consuming process but this ensures that all of our products are proven and effective.

“Our main range of products at the moment is on the disinfectant side. Remember, a farmer has to use disinfectant every day – sometimes twice a day – to keep the quality of his milk as high as possible. The biggest impact we are making is with our range of teat sprays to protect against bacteria, which are changing all the time, so we have stepped in to provide products that can counteract the mutating thermoduric bacteria going forward.”

Bacto-Lac is Lir Agri’s flagship teat spray – a powerful antibacterial disinfectant with pre- and post-milking approval and added moisturiser for teat conditioning, which also contains humectant and emollient molecules allowing the skin to retain its natural moisture.

“That’s our most popular product with farmers and we also have seasonal teat sprays as well because different bacteria thrive at different times of year,” says Michéal.

“As a new company, you have to develop something that’s really going to get people’s attention and give farmers the exact results they are looking to get. That’s what Bacto-Lac has done. It’s the product that has put Lir Agri on the map. We did a lot of key trials to develop that product and we were able to clinically test and prove it in conjunction with AIT prior to launch.”

Hydra-Mil is another strong-selling detergent for daily use on farms, while – on the disinfectant side of things – Oxy-B22 is a serious weapon to combat thermoduric bacteria and prevent the spread of viruses during calving season.

All in all, Lir Agri currently has a range of eleven products, all of which have been developed and formulated in-house and are

Lir Agri is at the forefront of dairy bio-security

available across a growing network of merchants nationwide.

Of course, it takes time for new products to work their way into the collective subconscious but the response to Lir Agri’s range of Irishmanufactured bio-security products – which offer an ideal alternative to long-haul imports – has been extremely encouraging to date.

“When you’re releasing a new brand, you have to take into account the initial downtime you’re going to experience due to building the chemical plant and the R&D facility, as well as carrying out all the trials and tests, so the reality is that we’ve only really been trading for around twelve months,” Michéal notes.

“In that time, we have made fantastic progress. We are in 24 counties in the Republic of Ireland already and I have also identified a couple of key agents in the north of Ireland that I want to carry the products. We are getting great support from Irish farmers and we will continue to grow organically.

“We are extremely price-competitive as all of our competitors’ products are coming in from the UK and Europe and we can counteract the transportation costs. We can develop an excellent product and stand over what we sell. There are no barriers either because we are at home and there is full traceability. Farmers who buy our products know exactly who they are dealing with and they really are supporting us, in fairness. In turn, we are here, on their doorstep to support them. They are striving to produce the highestquality milk out there and are leaving no stone unturned – our products are clinically tested and proven to help with that.”

Another important aspect of Lir Agri is that it provides gainful local employment to a team of eleven personnel. “The plan is to build that up to 20 over the next year,” Michéal concludes. “We are also hoping to break new territory and enter new markets. In the shorter term, we’ll look at the UK market – if they’re coming over here then why can’t we go over there?”

Pat Carolan Farm Supplies Best Wishes To Lir Agri, From

Best Wishes & Continued Success To Lir Agri

IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

Ballinvalley, Delvin,Co. Westmeath

Tel:044-9664291

71

peter keane designed_Layout 1 26/08/2015 11:07 Page 1

The installation of a 50-point rotary DeLaval parlour has proven to be money well spent by Peter and Margaret.

I

A labour of love

dawn for the country's 18,000 dairy t takes hard work, commitment enterprise. farmers but Peter and Margaret Keane and dedication to own and operate a dairy farm. Peter and The abolition of milk quotas last April are proceeding with caution.

Margaret Keane talk to Irish was universally hailed as a bright new The husband and wife duo milk a 300 Tractor magazine about their daily routine and what's involved in running a successful dairy

CONTACT DETAILS Peter & Margaret Keane Rath Carrick-on-Suir Co Waterford Peter: 087-9425151 Margaret: 087-6336186

Email: petermargaretkeane@gmail.com

72

The Keane's milk a 300-strong herd of pedigree Holstein Friesian cows IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

peter keane designed_Layout 1 26/08/2015 11:07 Page 2

The hard-working Keane family – Emily, Margaret, Peter, Grace, Pete and Maeve.

strong herd on their 200 acre farm which is located in Carrick-on-Suir on the Waterford/Tipperary border. In addition, they rent another 150 acres within a couple of miles of the farm.

For the first time in 31 years, there are no restrictions on how much milk dairy farmers can supply but Peter warns: “I'd be very sceptical because there was a reason it was brought in in the first place, it's not that long ago that we had butter mountains and milk lakes.

“There is no real control of supply and there's lot of uncertainty out there. It costs a lot of money to produce quality food and, at 26 cent a litre, that's below the cost of production at the moment.”

Continued Best Wishes To

The Keane Family Farm

Francis Comerford

Continued Best Wishes To The Keane Family Farm, From

Wide Range of Agri Contracting

Agri Contractor

Crehana, Carrick-on-Suir, Co. Waterford IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

T: 087-9927011

Tel:087-2543171 or 051-387787 Whitestown West, Carrick-on-Suir, Co. Waterford

Best Wishes & Continued Success To The

Keane Family Farm From

Knocksquire, Borris, Co. Carlow

Tel: 059-9157974 Contact Jim Barron 087-2794430 or David McArdle 087-0570842 Email: info@grasstech.ie | www.grasstech.ie

73

peter keane designed_Layout 1 26/08/2015 11:07 Page 3

Peter continued: “All of this volume of milk that's going to come out, where's the market for it?

“I don't want to be a doomsayer but I won't be bursting the champagne open just yet. It takes money to produce a quality product. That is my concern.

“Market forecast suggests that consumers will buy more dairy products but that is just speculation at the moment.”

Peter's opinion is rooted in years of hands-on experience in the dairy sector. As the fourth generation of Keanes to make a living as a dairy farmer, he is carrying on a proud family tradition. He purchased his first three pedigree cows in 1984.

“I was born and bred in Castleconnell, Co Limerick but the motorway was built through our family farm which made it unviable as a dairy enterprise. We started to look for a farm to buy in 2001 and ended up here in Carrick-on-Suir, we've been here since 2003.”

Margaret is originally from Ardmore in west Waterford. She qualified as a vet in 1993 and worked for the Mulcair veterinary practice in Limerick for seven years and with the Department of Agriculture for two years.

A typical day in the lives of Peter and Margaret involves a 6.45am rise and milking twice a day, morning and evening, is the main routine.

They have a spring calving herd of 300 pedigree Holstein Friesian cows.

These are run on commercial lines and milk is supplied to Glanbia Plc. All bull calves are sold at around two weeks so the farm focus is entirely on profitable milk production.

“We're kept busy but labour is a big issue for us,” highlighted Margaret.

“We have found it to be very hard to get qualifier labour. Good cow men are scarce on the ground and that's a common problem for farmers who have exceeded the family farm size.”

What are the other challenges encountered by Peter and Margaret?

“You have the usual ones like the weather and price,” answered Margaret. “There are also challenges that come with being an employer.

Taking on an employees costs a lot of money and that is assuming you can find the right person.”

Life for the Keanes and their four children – Maeve, Emily, Peter and Grace - has been made easier by the installation of a 50-point rotary DeLaval parlour three years ago.

With milking beginning to take longer and longer, with increasing numbers and

74

a poor cow flow they looked into alternatives. They now comfortably milks their cows with each milking only lasting one hour and 20 minutes.

Installed with the help of local building contractor Bernard Tobin who looked after the concrete work, the massive undertaking has proven to be money

well spent by the family.

“It's comfortable to work in, it's efficient when it comes to output and it's a great time saver,” commented Margaret. “The cows are really content in it and they're not standing around in the yard for all hours - they're out in the field where they should be.”

IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

Mid Ulster Dairy designed_Layout 1 26/08/2015 11:14 Page 1

Andrew McMullan, David Connelly, Junior Armstrong, William Talbot and Melvin Gault of Mid-Ulster Dairy Services

î “e complete service for Ulster dairy farmers CONTACT DETAILS Mid-Ulster Dairy Services 21a Donaghrisk Road, Tullyhogue, Cookstown, County Tyrone.

Email: wt.mds@btinternet.com Tel: 048 8676 5098 Mobile 0044 7802 757 495 midulsterdairyservices.co.uk IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

M

id-Ulster Dairy Services provides a complete service to dairy farmers across Northern Ireland – including refurbishment, servicing / maintenance and installation of market-leading dairy farming equipment. We travelled to their base in Cookstown, County Tyrone to find out more about the range of products and services from company founder William Talbot.

Mid-Ulster Dairy Services is an independent supplier and installer of new Fullwood and Westfalia dairy farming equipment. As well as supplying and maintaining milking equipment, they also offer farmers ongoing back-up support, including servicing, upgrading or expansion of existing milking parlours and the provision of hygiene supplies (floor mats, meal augers, acids and alkalis, cleaners, teat dips, disinfectants etc.).

The team can install both brand-new

75

Mid Ulster Dairy designed_Layout 1 26/08/2015 11:14 Page 2

systems and second-hand / refurbished units, including herd management software and peripheral equipment (such as the Fullwood Slurry Scraper automated cleaning system, M-brush and portable milkers).

Each individual farmer’s requirements are considered before installation. Depending on throughput required and optimal milking times of cattle, Mid-Ulster Dairy Services can install a system to maximise efficiency, from the parallel milking index 90 to rotating parlours.

Reflecting on the genesis of the business, William Talbot notes: “I started up on my own at the end of 2001, having worked in dairy equipment all my life. I worked for Fullwood and a few other companies, so I have been working with milking machines in one

Mid-Ulster Dairy Services supplies, installs and maintains dairy farming equipment

capacity or another since the late 1980s.”

In ’01, William started Mid-Ulster Dairy Services. It was a modest operation at the time and he has built it up over the years.

As well as the aforementioned Fullwood and Westfalia agencies, Mid-Ulster Dairy Services also holds the agency for Gascoigne milking parlours and equipment. “I worked for Fullwood as a rep so that one is historic in a way, while Gascoigne and Westfalia both approached me and I was happy to take on those agencies.

With Gascoigne, we do repairs and maintenance and secondhand machines, while we supply new Fullwood and Westfalia machines. Fullwood and Westfalia are at the top end of the market - extremely reliable and well-built machines.”

No job is ever considered too big or too small. Mid-Ulster Dairy Services has extensive expertise in installing rotary milking parlours and rapid exits, with the ability to install, upgrade and

Best Wishes & Continued Success To

Mid-Ulster Dairy Services

Authorised

Dealer For All Areas

A complete service for all your dairy farming needs 38 Church Road, Ardglass, Downpatrick BT30 7SZ

Email:mcservices007@aol.com P: 028 4484 3339 M:07831 251 156 www.mc-servicesni.co.uk

T.C. McKeown Engineering

Best Wishes To Mid-Ulster Dairy Services From Stewartstown, Dungannon

McKnight

Best wishes to Mid-Ulster Dairy Services, from

Dairy Services LTD TOTAL DAIRY SOLUTIONS

Tel:(00353) 74-9147197 M:(00353) 87-6481124 Email james@mcknightdairyservices.ie

MILKING MACHINES - REFRIGERATION - WATER - SLURRY - FEEDING

GEA FARM TECHNOLOGIES Engineering for a better world

76

IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

Mid Ulster Dairy designed_Layout 1 26/08/2015 11:14 Page 3

repair even the most advanced systems.

For example, the MIone automatic milking system from Westfalia offers greater reliability, comfort and performance and is an excellent solution for delivering costeffective expansion possibilities, excellent milk hygiene and quality, the best possible udder health and exceptional farm management capabilities in conjunction with maximum working comfort and system performance.

“It’s a multi-box system, where you can have up to five robots, with one robotic arm, and it’s more economical for larger herds. It favours the guided system, where cows have to go through to get to the feeding area,” says William.

“Westfalia have also developed an automated feedings system, which has become very popular in Europe, and which we can stock and supply if there is demand for it.”

Generally speaking, are more and more farmers in Mid Ulster leaning towards automated milking systems? “That’s the trend in dairy farming. It’s a labour-saving thing for the farmer and it makes sense.

Conventional parlours are much more labourintensive, while robotics and automation have changed things dramatically. Indeed, a good bit of our business is automating existing parlours.

“Having said that, we’re more than happy installing and servicing smaller parlours. If you have four of those, then that’s four customers and that means more work down the line with maintenance and repairs etc.”

The back-up provided in this line of work is absolutely critical and William provides his customers with a good service. “I’m not saying we are all things to all people but we do try to have somebody on call.

We believe that if we provide somebody with a good service then they will come back and do IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

Even the most advanced systems can be installed, upgraded and repaired.

business again. In this respect, small repairs are as important as bigger ones and we treat all our customers the same.

“We don’t make a lot out of selling new equipment but we like that guy to come back to us for his supplies, and that’s what keeps the staff here and keeps everything ticking over. We strive to build relationships with our customers so that we can all move forward together.”

Mid-Ulster Dairy Services provides gainful employment to a team of five fulltime staff plus one self-employed worker.

Technology is playing an increasinglyimportant part in dairy farming and Mid-

Ulster Dairy Services has embraced modern methods.

How important has it been for William not to let technology pass him by? “We keep ourselves up to date. The companies we represent are very good at offering training and refresher courses and we make a point of fitting, installing, commissioning and supporting all the products ourselves, as well as providing the software support. We have a number of younger people on our books and they are up to speed with the latest technology.

“Things are changing all the time and you have to stay on top of it. Things are improving constantly – both in major ways and in smaller ways that’d you’d barely notice. At the end of the day, it’s all for the farmer’s benefit and you have to keep tabs on these changes to ensure that you are giving your customers the best possible service.”

Looking to the future, the proprietor of Mid-Ulster Dairy Services intends to continue offering the same excellent products and services for which his company is renowned: “We have plenty of work and we would be happy enough if the workload stays as it is,” he concludes. “The challenge facing everybody involved in dairy is milk price, which is putting pressure on everyone. As milk is a perishable commodity, the producer has to take the market price at any given time. It’s bad news for everybody in the sector when this drops, so hopefully that won’t be the case going forward.”

77

lawrence mcnamee designed_Layout 1 26/08/2015 12:14 Page 1

Lawrence, Aimee, Jack and Louise McNamee

T

Looking after the farmers’ needs

he Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) represents every farmer in the country and it is a highly professional, well-resourced organisation whose record of delivery is the envy of many other representative bodies at home and in Europe. Central to the success and development of IFA is its structure.

The IFA has a mass membership base with over 88,000 farmers contributing to the Association. A strong united membership provides the strength and financial resources to ensure that the IFA delivers for Irish farmers.

The Association’s 946 Branches are recognised as the fundamental unit of the organisation, playing a vital role in IFA’s countrywide network, reaching into every parish across rural Ireland and maintaining our mass membership.

Each county has at least one representative that sits on a national committee and discuss matters at hand. In

78

this month’s edition of Irish Tractor & Agri, we profile the Donegal representative Lawrence McNamee and he tells us about his role in the IFA and also about the trials and tribulations of farming in the north west of the country.

“I am the Donegal representative to the Dairy Committee and we would meet up to ten times a year to discuss any business at hand and as you can imagine, the abolishing of the milk quota has been at the forefront of discussions earlier this year,” said Lawrence.

“Of course, the price of milk is the main concern amongst our members at the moment as it has continuously dropped over the last 16 months or so.”

The current spate of milk price cuts started 16 months ago in May 2014. At the time, coops were paying around 39c/l including VAT for milk at 3.3% protein and 3.6% butterfat.

Practically every month since then, farmers have suffered price cuts which are now totalling up to 13c/l, or over 33%.

Based on the 25.5c/l average production

costs determined by the Teagasc’s 2014 National Farm Survey (reduced to 25c/l for 2015 in the 2015 Teagasc Outlook), this 33% milk price cut amounts to a 92% cut in the farmer’s margin. As the Teagasc production costs do not include the farmer’s own labour nor investment repayments, it is clear that the majority of farmers are now producing milk at a significant loss.

“The abolishing of the milk quota has been a huge plus in one sense as farmers can now grow their herds without fear of penalties, but the milk prices have to reflect that too though.”

Based in Convoy, Co Donegal, Lawrence

CONTACT DETAILS

Lawrence McNamee Convoy, Co Donegal.

IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

lawrence mcnamee designed_Layout 1 26/08/2015 12:15 Page 2

Lawrence McNamee with his son Jack, daughter Aimee and wife Louise

has many issues to deal with on a regular basis with the weather being one of the main contentious areas.

“We seem to get a lot worse weather up here than in other parts of the country unfortunately. I am farming 180 acres and 60 of that would be leased, because there is no real room to expand where we are.

“The block of the land that is leased is 12 miles away from the homeplace, but we would have that leased for about ten years or so now.”

Lawrence milks 100 cows daily and he has built up the herd over the last five years to what it is today.

“I’ve added ten cows to the herd every year for the past five years. At this stage, I don’t think I have the capacity to add anymore, not for the time being at least.”

Of course, dealing with such adverse weather conditions means that there is only a small window of opportunity to get silage and other contracting jobs done during the summer months.

“It can be frustrating at times with the weather and once you get a good spell, you have to work fast.

Wauchope Agri does the silage for me and they have been for a number of years now. They are professional at what they do and get the job done as quickly as possible.

“For the baling, McKnights would come in and they do are very good at what they do with top of the range machinery ensuring that they get through the work as efficiently as

The new Dairymaster 10900 litre tank that has been installed

The McNamee family farm in Convoy, Co Donegal IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

79

lawrence mcnamee designed_Layout 1 26/08/2015 12:15 Page 3

Lawrence McNamee

they can.

“I would have a mixture of wet and dry land, some of it would be very steep, while more is on the flat.”

Lawrence revealed that when it came to feed for his cattle, he tended to use nuts as he felt a better milk production can be achieved.

“I’d prefer to work with nuts over straights as farming has become a lot more scientific in recent years and you have to carefully choose what you feed your stock.”

A new Dairymaster tank has

been installed to cater for the increase in the milk quota and Lawrence is happy with the way business is going despite the obvious drawbacks.

“It will be very hard to expand any further as I said, but you never know down the line. We just keep working away and there is not much else you can do.”

Lawrence is supported on the farm by his wife Louise and his two children Jack (9) and Aimee (7) as well as his mother Margaret.

R&D Johnston Electrical Robert Johnston

Best Wishes To Lawrence McNamee From

Specialists in CCTV & SECURITY SYSTEMS PAT TESTING SERVICES

Glenmaquin, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal

Telephone: 086-8548831

Email: randdjohnstonelectrics@yahoo.com Wishing Continued Success To Lawrence McNamee From

AGRICULTURE AND FOOD DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

STRANORLAR OFFICE Teagasc Office, Cavan Lower, Stranorlar, Co Donegal Telephone: 074 9131189 80

Fox Refrigeration Ltd Best Wishes & Continued Success To

LawrenceFromMcNamee JOHN FOX

SPECIALISTS IN ALL TYPES OF MILK TANK REPAIRS

3 Meadowhill, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal Email: johnfoxlk@eircom.net

Contact John on 086-2436335

DONEGAL ANIMAL COLLECTION Noel Fitzpatrick & Garvan Friel

Continued Best Wishes To Lawrence McNamee From

Noel 087-9051777 Garvan 086-2245932 Drumawark, Pettigo, Co. Donegal

IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

Clandeboye designed_Layout 1 26/08/2015 12:08 Page 1

Dairying at the heart of Clandeboye operations

C

Clandeboye’s Bryan Boggs and Caoimhe Mannion of Tesco with Bambi the Jersey cow

landeboye Estate near Bangor in Co. Down is one of the largest privatelyowned estates in Ireland and is home of Lady Dufferin, The Marchioness of Dufferin and Ava. The estate is well-known in agricultural circles for its awardwinning herd of Holstein and Jersey cows which provide the milk that goes into making Clandeboye Estate’s delicious range of yoghurts and smoothies.

The Clandeboye herd currently consists of 65 Holstein and 25 Jersey cows. About 55 per cent of the milk produced is processed into yoghurt onsite, while the remainder is supplied to Dale Farm. Cows have been milked at the estate since the IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

1950s, and whilst there was some early interest in breeding, it wasn’t until 1992 that the Clandeboye prefix came back into use.

A whole herd grade up was undertaken and since then Clandeboye’s aim has been to breed high-yielding, long-lasting cows which wouldn’t look out of place in the show ring.

Several females from well-established families were purchased. These included Rosinas from Templedale, Willows from Wedgwood and Stars from Bondhaven in Canada. The Ruths originate from the local Ards, while the graded up Marie and Oonagh families are developing well.

In 2001, a new state-of-the-art milking parlour was built with the aim of creating a high-quality environment for both the cows and the people working with them.

These renovations reduced the cow spaces available in the existing building from 130 to 100 and the herd was reduced proportionately. With more wheat and whole crop grown on the estate these days, the amount of feed bought in has been dramatically reduced.

The awards have been coming thick and

CONTACT DETAILS Clandeboye Estate

Bangor, Co. Down, BT19 1RN Telephone: +44 28 9185 2966 Fax: +44 28 9185 2790 Email: mail@clandeboye.co.uk Website: www.clandeboye.co.uk

81

Clandeboye designed_Layout 1 26/08/2015 12:08 Page 2

fast for the Clandeboye herd since 2007 when the Holstein herd was awarded Master Breeder status and also won best overall herd in the Holstein Northern Ireland Herd Competition. In the same year, Clandeboye also won the Holstein UK’s Premier Herd Competition. The Jerseys herd has taken second place in the Ulster Jersey Cattle Club Competition in 2007, 2008 and 2009.

Pride of the herd has undoubtedly been Clandeboye Champion Willow EX94-3 SP LP60 who, in 2007, was Supreme Champion at the Irish National Holstein Show, Exhibitor Bred Champion at Royal Ulster and Interbreed Dairy Champion at Ballymena. In 2008, she repeated her success at the Irish National, took Breed and Inter Breed honours at the Royal Ulster and also won the All-Britain Reserve Junior Second Calf Cow award. She won the AllBritain Third Calf Cow title in 2008 and was also crowned the Reserve Champion and Exhibitor Bred Champion at the Causeway Classic Centenary Celebration Show.

Another Calbrett Champion daughter, Clandeboye Champion Francesca, won the Exhibitor Bred and Intermediate Champion titles at the Irish National in 2011 and Supreme Champion in

Clandeboye’s range of yoghurts and smoothies are delicious

Clandeboye Estate is famous for its award-winning Holstein and Jersey herds

2012. Other award winners for the estate have been Clandeboye Rocket Mabel EX91, Clandeboye Jazz Evita EX94 and Clandeboye CR Evita EX92 taking Interbreed Champion at the 2012 Royal Ulster Winter Fair.

Having looked at commercial and environmental ventures that could make the 2,000-acre Clandeboye Estate work financially and become sustainable for years to come, Lady Dufferin – a successful artist who works under her maiden name Lindy Guinness – launched Clandeboye Estate Yoghurt in 2007. This has proven to be a huge success. The brand is stocked in major multiples as well as in numerous independent stores.

The introduction of a range of flavoured yoghurts and smoothies has put this small specialist yoghurt company firmly on the map.

IRELAND’S PREMIER DAIRY PARLOUR EQUIPMENT SUPPLIER, INSTALLER AND SERVICE PROVIDER EXCLUSIVE

54 Drumreagh Road, Ballygowan, Newtownards, Co Down BT23 6LD T: 028 9751 0405 F: 028 9751 0416 E: info@martinhanna-tractors.com

www.martinhanna-tractors.com Continued success to Clandeboye Estate

82

DEALER FOR NORTHERN IRELAND

7 Tulnagall Rd, Donaghmore, Dungannon Co Tyrone, BT70 3LR

Tel: 028 8776 7376 Fax: 028 8776 7034 E: info@electromechagri.com www.electromechagri.com CONTINUED BEST WISHES TO CLANDEBOYE ESTATE IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

Clandeboye designed_Layout 1 26/08/2015 12:08 Page 3

“I wanted to create a business that was sustainable in the long-term and combined all the elements of Clandeboye that are important, not only the cows and their milk, but also our determination to develop a company with sound ecovalues and a commitment to local produce,” Lady Dufferin said.

Clandeboye enlisted the support of the product development team at Loughry College and Invest NI to come up with a range of flavours that have proved a huge hit with consumers throughout Northern Ireland.

Earlier this year, Clandeboye struck a deal to supply its blueberry, mango, strawberry and toffee flavour smoothies to 12 Tesco stores across the North. The listing is set to increase Clandeboye’s annual business with Tesco by up to 30 per cent. Clandeboye’s Bryan Boggs explains: “Our partnership with Tesco since 2008 has allowed the business to grow year-onyear with sales to Tesco in 2014-15 showing a 30 per cent increase on the previous year.

“This gives us the confidence to keep developing and investing.”

He added: “Having established ourselves firstly with Greek-style and natural yoghurts, then a range of flavoured yoghurts, we looked at how we could grow the portfolio of products while still only using our own milk and sticking to what we do best, which is making yoghurt.

“We knew there were people not happy with the texture and high sugar content of standard fruit smoothies, and of a growing interest in dairy-based smoothies, so the obvious move was to develop our own range of yoghurt smoothies.

“They are still based on our whole milk natural yoghurt IRISH TRACTOR & AGRI

blended with fruits or toffee to make a luxurious drinking yoghurt. These are ideal drinks, or snacks on the go, and have proved really popular at breakfast and lunchtime.”

Last year, five Clandeboye yoghurt varieties were awarded stars in the Great Taste awards. They were: Mango Yoghurt Smoothie; Blueberry Yoghurt Smoothie; Madagascan Vanilla Greek Style Yoghurt; Blueberry Yoghurt; Greek Style Yoghurt.

In addition, Morellis Cherry Frozen Yoghurt, made from Clandeboye Yoghurt, was awarded two stars.

Clandeboye products are also sold south of the border in Costa Coffee and Café Sol outlets.

Of the 2,000-plus acres on the Clandeboye Estate, 650 are farmed. There is a further 800 acres of woodland and a 400-acre golf course. The farm employs three staff and is managed by Mark Logan. In addition to its Holstein and Jersey herds, Clandeboye has a small herd of Irish Moilies, Ulster’s only rare breed cattle, which graze the wildflower meadows in front of Clandeboye House.

Recently, Clandeboye has started selling free range eggs, unpasteurised milk, raw milk, yoghurts, smoothies and other produce from the grounds of the estate. A new 250kw anaerobic digestion plant, which will use cattle dung, maize and silage to produce electricity, is currently under construction.

“Our aim is to make the estate self-sufficient and more environmentally friendly,” Mark Logan says.

Boasting a chapel and banqueting hall, Clandeboye Estate is also well-known as a wedding venue. It is also home to the Ireland Offroad Experience office and driving course, which is tucked away deep in the woodlands.

N Chambers C Neeson chartered accountants

Wishing Continued Success To Clandeboye Estate From registered auditors Services Available Taxation Advice | Accountancy Auditing | Business Planning Services Company Secretarial 123/125 Main Street, Bangor BT20 4AE. Tel: 028 - 9147 1923 Email: info@neesonchambers.co.uk

Best Wishes & Continued Success To

Clandeboye Estate, From

Quality Ruminant Animal Feeds 8 Northern Road, Belfast, BT3 9AL Antrim Tel: 028 9075 9000 Fax: 028 9075 1170 Email: sales@ufeeds.com www.ufeeds.com

WILLIAM THOMPSON & SON Agricultural Contractors

Continued Best Wishes To Clandeboye Estate 12 Lusky Road, Ballygowan, Newtownards Telephone: 028 9754 1059 Bailie Mob:07774 231 416 Email: bailie@wthompson.plus.com

www.williamthompsonandson.co.uk

IRISH &

AGRI

Call Barry About Advertising 00353 (0) 46 9241923 83

Tractor Subscription_Layout 1 10/04/2015 15:59 Page 1

IRISH & LIGHT COMMERCIALS

SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

FOR 12 ISSUES or

INCLUDING P&P

By Post Fill out the attached application form and send it by post accompanied with a DG Press cheque or postal order (made payable to Lynn Group) for the correct amount to Irish Tractor Trucker Magazine, DG Press Ltd., Kells Business Park, Kells, Co. Meath

By Email Enclose your postal address and credit card details (Card type, number and expiry date) to contact@lynngroupmedia.com A receipt will be enclosed with your first magazine.

Any further inquiries can be made to contact@lynngroupmedia.com

Name:...............................................................................

Address:.......................................................................... .......................................................................................... ..........................................................................................

I enclose a cheque/postal order for €/Stg£ _______ made payable to DG Press Ltd. Send to:

Martina Clarke, DG Press Ltd., Kells Business Park, Kells, Co. Meath. Tel: 00353 (0)46-9241923

Inside Front_Layout 1 09/12/2014 15:17 Page 1

Unique removal rubber peg fitting system (patented)

The e c y o R s l Rol of ts a M r e b Rub

Tailormade to suit your slats cut to your specifications on our precision cutting laser machine Up to 25% weight gains in independent tests New & improved German rubber compound Easy clean surface - no dirt holding grooves Flat animal friendly surface - follows the natural shape of the slat vastly superior to bumpy profiles Cubicle cow mats & loose area mats also available

Riverstick Industries Co. Cork

LoCall: 1890 208 208

Email: riverstickindustries@gmail.com

YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW. IS YOUR CROP ON TARGET?

When your goal is to create successful and sustainable farms, with high yielding crops, you start with a superior fertiliser.

To learn more about what makes us different, call us on 053 9255389 or visit targetfertilisers.com

TA R G E T

FERTILISERS