Robin Irvine from Whitecross in County Armagh has been elected President of the Hereford Cattle Society for 2008. Robin has represented Northern Ireland breeders on the society’s council for five years and is well known as a breeder and judge of Hereford cattle throughout the British Isles.
His Ballymoyer herd, now in its twentyfifth year has enjoyed success in both sale ring and showring and a number of sires bearing his Graceland prefix are in use in pedigree herds throughout the UK.
“It is an honour to be elected president particularly at a time when the breed is enjoying such a tremendous surge in popularity,” says Robin. “We have seen another big increase in membership this year – in fact the last five years has seen a seventy percent increase in the number of active breeding herds.
It is also great to see the response to the new Breedplan recording scheme with 50% of registered calves now participating”
This revival of interest has followed from the growing recognition of Hereford beef as a premium quality brand which is delivering added value to producers. A growing number of retailers throughout Ireland and the UK are reporting a keen demand for the Hereford product with consumers prepared to pay for the succulence and quality which it delivers.