Pat Mc Clean’s Roughan Ourasi was a sight to behold at this year’s National Charolais Show, which took place at Tullamore Show in Co Offaly on Sunday, August 13th, 2023.
The renowned Donegal-based pedigree Charolais breeder imported the bull from the breed’s home as a stock sire.
Ourasie was born on February 15th, 2018, and is by 2010-born Forbant, a Relief son, going back to MJR – Major, and out of a Cristal-sired cow by the name of France, born in 2010.
The French import was the first Charolais to take to the ring on Sunday morning, being the sole entry in class 138 – best registered Charolais bull, born on/before December 31st, 2021, sponsored by the Irish Charolais Cattle Society and FBD Insurance.
According to Mc Clean, the bull was weighed prior to Sunday’s show and hit the scales at 1,400kgs.
Speaking to That’s Farming editor, Catherina Cunnane, Mc Clean said:
“The bull was bred by Gaec Merlet in France, and I bought him in France in November 2018 at an auction in la Roche-sur-Yon, when he was just months old.”
“He was the top price paid at auction that year in the whole of France. His sire, Forbant, was the champion bull of the whole of France in Moulons in 2016,” he added.
“Ourasie was champion at the show and I bought him at the sale afterwards.”
French connection
The Newtowncunningham, County Donegal, native has spent the last three decades venturing to France, to invest in superior genetics.
He has opted to focus on French bloodlines when establishing his herd, which has proven to be a worthwhile business venture, for the breeder who has sold Roughan progeny nationwide, and across the waters to Scotland, Wales and even back to the breed’s home soil in France.
In a previous interview with www.thatsfarming.com, he said:
“I remember the first French bull, Roughan Faiso, I brought into the herd in 1992, and then Roughan Jordaine came in the next year.”
“The whole foundation stock was all built on French bloodlines. I worked with all French genetics because of their easy calving, easy fleshing ability, and milking ability. In addition, they can calve without assistance and rear their own calf, which is very important.”
Pat first acquired his initial consignment of Charolais bulls and heifers in 1992 in France and has been doing so every year since.
“I probably buy five to six breeding females every year and buy three young bulls every year. I could be buying calves as young as three-months-old.”
You can read the full interview on www.thatsfarming.com via this link.
