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Catherina Cunnane
Catherina Cunnanehttps://www.thatsfarming.com/
Catherina Cunnane hails from a sixth-generation drystock and specialised pedigree suckler enterprise in Co. Mayo. She currently holds the positions of editor and general manager at That's Farming, having joined the firm during its start-up phase in 2015.
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Suckler farmer out-wintering cattle and using no meal

Irwin Dougherty runs a hill farm outside Derry/Londonderry comprised of half grass and half heather. He has a herd of pedigree Galloway cattle, Blue Greys, which are Galloways crossed to a White-bred Shorthorn bull and a flock of pedigree North Country Cheviot ewes.

Dougherty raises the cattle on a low input system, and farms these native breeds because of their hardiness and ability to live on upland landscapes.

He out-winters cattle and feeds them silage as needed from December onwards. Feeding no concentrates is a cost-saving to the business.

Irwin breeds his own Galloway replacements and will finish bullocks at approximately 24-to-26 months old around 350kg. The meat from the Galloway is superior quality and known for its tender texture and excellent flavour.

These cattle are ‘conservation grazers’ with their gentle grazing action, they help support rich biodiversity.  They graze the heather and eat rushes and other species of grass that his sheep would not graze.

Both Irwin’s sheep and cattle enterprise are working successfully together to manage his rough grazing and heather.

“Controlling heather in the uplands can be done by match, mulch or mouth. Our farming enterprise has focused on controlling the heather using the Galloway and North Country Cheviots,” Irwin explained.

Grassland management

Grazing is the most effective and natural way to maintain certain habitats.  It helps to keep areas open ensuring a wider variety of plants and animals.

Both overgrazing and under grazing can be damaging to habitats. Therefore, it requires skill to ensure effective and beneficial grazing regimes farm hand-in-hand with nature.

Irwin has found the best grazing regime for the mountain is to graze Galloway cattle first followed by sheep.

On hill and upland pastures, the unselective grazing action of the Galloway improves the natural herbage for sheep and wildlife through the removal of excess roughage.

Irwin limes his permanent grassland to maintain the pH of the soil between 6 and 6.5.

He tests the soil and only applies chemical fertiliser based on crop need.  Also, he has planted hedges on his field boundaries inter-planted with various different species providing shelter for his stock and for biodiversity purposes.

His ethos is to do simple things on his farm that cost him nothing in an effort to encourage wildlife.

Traditional breeds

Change is a feature on the horizon for farm businesses as direct support payments are set to transition from 2022.

Sinead Mathers, CAFRE agri-environment adviser, says this is an opportunity for farm businesses to look at other options available to them to improve their viability and profitability working in balance with the environment.

“Sustainability is a word used widely now throughout the globe and it essentially means that all businesses must accommodate economic, social and environmental needs working in balance with the natural world,” she said.

“Our Environmental Business Development Groups (BDG) are now looking at ways in which this can be achieved on-farm.”

“Change is coming which will bring opportunities. The key for farm businesses is to use and enhance the natural resources on their farm, reduce input costs where possible and farm hand-in-hand with the environment.  Traditional breeds have a role to play in achieving this aim in the uplands,” Sinead concluded.

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