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Tara Heaney,
Kilberry, Navan, runner-up in the under 23 competition
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Runner-up in the Under 23 competition was Tara Heaney from
Meath. The Under-23 competition was won by Padraig Murphy from Kilkenny.
The dairy stockjudging competition takes the form of an
academic test followed by the score-marking in order of merit of a pen of
heifers and a pen of cows. Competitors are also interviewed on their overall
grading of the animals and must answer questions on the technical aspects of
dairy farming.
Speaking at the event, Macra na Feirme Competitions
Committee Chairperson, Flor O’Gorman said, “This year’s competition was outstanding
with the standard of entrants being very high. I’d like to thank the Irish
Dairy Board for their continued support of the competition. I'd also like to
thank Dessie Delaney and Kevin Behan from IHFA who assisted in the judging of
the competition. This competition is a great opportunity for young farmers to
become skilled at assessing livestock and it prepares them for the actual job
of buying and selling farm animals. Stock judging also broadens the young
farmers’ knowledge of new developments in stock breeding, husbandry and disease
control.”
The two overall winners have won a place on the annual
Macra prize winners trip in Autumn.