Have you been to Balmoral Show this week? If you have, you might have taken a walk through the large cattle shed and/or watched the animals being judged on the cattle lawn.
There are a range of beef farms across Northern Ireland that will open their gates to the public as part of Bank of Ireland Open Farm Weekend 2016. We can enjoy delicious Northern Irish beef burgers, steaks, roasts, mince and many other beef products thanks to the hard work of our cattle farmers.
Showing some of their cattle this week at the Balmoral Show were Jalex Herd and Blackberry Hill Farm. If you missed seeing these animals at the Show, you can see them and many more of their herd families, at their home farms in June.
The Egerton Farm in County Fermanagh is home to 80 suckler cows and a flock of 150 breeding ewes. John Egerton, who farms near Rosslea, is well known for his highly efficient suckler management. In 2014, he received the Farming Life Beef Farmer of the Year Award and this year, he won the Houston Trophy from the Fermanagh Grassland Club. The latter award was in recognition of the significant contribution he has made to the farming industry through his sustainable beef from the suckler herd which has been recognised across Northern Ireland. The Egerton Farm will be open on Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th June.
Laurelview Farm in Templepatrick is home to a pedigree herd of Irish Moiled Cattle. The Irish Moiled is one of the rarest and most distinctive native cattle breeds. Traditionally a dairy cow, it has earned the reputation as a truly dual purpose animal, producing both high quality beef and milk from poorer quality grazing.
As mentioned before, a number of our farms have mixed enterprises, breeding both beef and other animals such as sheep. You will be able to see beef on many other farms including CAFRE Greenmount, and new hosts Walls Farm, and Buchanan Farm.
You can find out more information about all the farms mentioned over on our farm section.
Want to enjoy some local beef produce but are need some inspiration? Check out this tasty recipe, courtesy of Taste of Ulster:
