|
 The Luddenmore herd has had great success in a short space of time and is responsible for producing some of the best performing stock in the Republic of Ireland, Chrissie Lawrence finds out what the secret to their success is
Although in its infancy in terms of pedigree breeding, the Luddenmore herd of Dr Michael and Martin Sheahan has been thought about for many years. “My father had ideas of setting up an Aberdeen-Angus herd for many years and having attended shows and sales in the UK for some time, we couldn’t have been more impressed at the high standard that had been achieved by the Angus breed,”€¯ comments Michael.
So in 2005 the Killmallock, Co Limerick-based Luddenmore herd was established with the purchase of three cattle from the dispersal of the Fullam herd. “From the beginning we concentrated on proven and established cow families. This initial seed stock included North American embryos and included Hamilton Farm Evening Tinge and Tibbies, along with a Coldstream Tidy Bee daughter.”
Michael admits these initial purchases have been incredibly lucky for him. “Our first calf out of Tibbie, Luddenmore Titan, was top priced bull in Carrick in 2007. Evening Tinge enjoyed some show success, but it was her daughter by Dalrene Cruz who cleaned up in 2009, standing champion at numerous shows as a calf.”
One of the herds foundation females Fulham Evening Tinge
Buoyed by their initial success, Michael and his father set about sourcing cattle with proven family track records. Several trips throughout the UK saw them make a number of purchases both privately and at auction.
“One of our early purchases was a genetic full sister to Aynho Rossiter Eric from the McLaren family, Aynho Rosa Erica D231, who has excelled in producing show quality stock,”€¯ comments Michael. She also won the Mogeely cup last year for Club Cow Family. Her son, by Dalrene Cruz, was National bull calf champion in 2009 and sold for one of the top prices that year. Both of her daughters have also won their classes at the National Show.
2006 saw the purchase a daughter of the noted Kim of Fordfourie, Halbeath Kirsty E140 and Elliot Erica E019 a daughter of Cudlobe Ellen Erica 46D.
A personal favourite of Michael's, Elliot Erica
The famous Netherton Matrons sale also allowed them to purchase proven donor cows, such as Netherton Fleur B199 and Flora B162. And their judgement was soon proved to be right as Fleur’s first calf to carry the Luddenmore prefix was National heifer calf champion in 2008 and her full brother won the National in Kelso this year.
Flora’s first calf, Luddenmore Fionn, proved a stand out from day one and was purchased privately by Dovea AI station where he now stands. “From reports back, breeders are excited by his first crop of calves,” adds Michael.
The Netherallan dispersal then saw Luddenmore purchase Netherallan Elba F057, a Vermillion Payweight daughter out of Youngdale Elba for a record calf price. And although it was a record price, she has already paid for herself as her first calf has been sold in a half share deal for £20,000 to James and Bill Porter for their Old Glenort herd.
Duncanziemere Jody G263 was the next to be purchased at the Best of Blacks sale in the Borders. “Having seen her as a calf on the Clarke’s farm we were impressed by the cow family and in particular by her calf G263. Several embryos were also purchased and five daughters have now joined the herd.
Along with the purchase of Wedderlie Emillicent E020, the most recent buys include two daughters of Netherton Frances A103, one from Messrs J Lascelles of Balmachie and one acquired with the purchase of the Prohurst herd last year.
But of all his purchases, Michael’s personal favourit is Elliot Erica E019, who he describes as a picture perfect Angus and a complete package with numbers and style. “Our latest crop of calves includes some exciting progeny from Erica sired by the well known Rawburn Rommel.”
2009 and 2010 saw the herd augmented by the birth of several exciting calves, born as a result of contract flushes purchased after several visits to Canada. These include calves out of double Farmfair and Agribition Champion DMM Miss Essence 21R, her dam 90k, and the legendary Miss Essence 147H from Miller Wilson.
To date Luddenmore cows have been mated to top AI sires such as Rawburn Rommel, Dalrene Cruz, Youngdale Touchdown, Youngdale Superior and Netherallan Peter Pershore. But this year will see the Sheahan’s start to use some of their home bred bulls, with Luddenmore Mr Edition (DMM Miss Essence 21R x Hoff Limited Edition) and Luddenmore Eclipse (Netherallan Elba F057 x Rawburn Rommel) being used in the herd’s extensive flushing programme.
Luddenmore Mr Edition is one of the first homebred bulls to be retained as a stock sire by the herd
During the 2010-2011 breeding season, Michael hopes to see some 70 pedigree calves hitting the ground. These will be the result of both natural and ET matings and in the future we hope to maintain our pedigree calf numbers of about 80-90.
At Luddenmore the main focus is on getting the females right, as Michael is adamant that if you get the cows right the bulls will follow. The care, welfare and health status of the cattle is equally of primary importance and all stock is tested for Johnne’s and vaccintated for BVD, Lepto and IBR.
“Each blood line must perform and any female that fails to produce a good calf, or isn’t deemed good enough for breeding, becomes a recipient. The embryo programme allows us to see quickly what matings will work and thus speed up our genetic progress.”
“It also allows us to both expand our numbers and our bloodlines without compromising our high herd health status. We can also take advantage of top genetics from around the World.”
The success of the herd has also seen the collection of silverware outside of the show ring. Not only has the herd won the medium size herd in the Club’s herd competition for the last two years, it also won the first club calf competition with Luddenmore Eclipse this year.
And having built the herd relatively rapidly from a few top end investments, the inaugural Foundation Female Sale, held in 2010 with Jerry Henchy’s Fraiarstown herd, was a success with Luddenmore averaging at 3000 for mainly maiden heifers and heifer calves. Sale topper for them at €4500 was an Ayno Rosa Erica x Youngdale Touchdown calf, who went on to win at Irish Beef Expo in 2010. Going forward the plan is to offer about 25 quality females at the Foundation Female Sale.
Alongside the Angus herd, when he’s not busy being a doctor or involved in the family’s waste business, Michael’s passions also lie in Charolais and Simmental pedigree cattle. I started to breed pedigree cattle when I was 16 with my first purchases being Simmental and we still run a few now. This year one of our heifers took the female championship at the Autumn PremierĀ sale and sold for the top price of €6200.
The Charolais herd is similar to the Angus herd in that the main focus is both on the pedigree and phenotype of the animal. The herd is part of an extensive flushing programme and cows are AI’d to top Charolais sires. Like his quest to find new Angus bloodlines, Michael regularly travels to France in pursuit of new genetics.
|
