Number 50 in EBI dairy herd ranking

When Brian told me yesterday that I was in the Farmer’s Journal, I was somewhat surprised. I was featured in the Irish Country Living part of it over 3 years ago and it gave my business great profile. I’ve been hoping to be featured again as the business has changed so much but it seems to be a case of if you have been featured once, that is it! They have occasionally featured my products in their new seasonal glossy which has been good but how come I was in the Farmer’s Journal? Was it in backchat? But I hadn’t sent them any press releases or photo of anything quirky.

Well, it hadn’t anything to do with the Garrendenny Lane online shop but instead I was listed as number 50 in the top Irish 100 dairy herds in terms of EBI. ?(The EBI is a score given to individual cows based on things like their fertility, ease of calving, milk yield, milk composition) and with a herd score of 124, we came in 50th.

I laughed till tears rolled down my cheeks, although I milk our goat daily, I can scarcely milk a cow. Brian is the one that does the milk recording, the calving, the milking, the heat detection (without any workmen). I merely feed the calves and have my name on the herd. Having said that, it is great to see a list drawn up like this and for those who are wishing to expand and improve their herds and who take note of data like EBI scores, it can only improve the saleability of our herd each spring when we are selling freshly calved cows and heifers.

Fame at last!!

6 thoughts on “Number 50 in EBI dairy herd ranking

    • Lorna

      Brian and I were in the UK for 12 years but my brother decided against farming and my parents offered it to us. Brian was brought up on a dairy farm and loves cows. Not an easy decision but we came back (from science and teaching) 9 years ago with a 3 week old baby! Big changes.

      Reply
  • Lily

    Well done. I think that the hard work, year round twice daily committment, in dairying doesn’t get sufficient recognition. I must look up the brother’s herd in the Journal article.

    Where does the name Sixsmith originate? Are there many Sixsmiths outside of Garrendenny?
    Between Sixsmith and Garrendenny, I think you all sound very exotic!

    Reply
    • Lorna

      Hi Lily, There isn’t too many Sixsmiths in Ireland, I did get a facebook request from one in Galway a few weeks ago, he was delighted to have found another Sixsmith but I didn’t befriend, I have to admit. There is a history of mining within 5 miles of us and apparently a Sixsmith came over from Newcastle to train others in the type of mining that was needed here and settled here so I’d imagine that is where we all descended from. The Sixsmiths purchased Garrendenny back in 1908 but my family inherited it from an uncle and moved up from Fenagh in 1945. A very poor relation of the Butlers of Kilkenny Castle lived in this castle in the 19th century (derelict now but was very much a poor man’s small not very well buildt castle). – has a bit of Jane Eyre about it as the Earl of Galmoy had a mad wife and fell in love with another woman who had children with him. They were very poor but were still received by society and respected by all around but found it hard to keep up with the Joneses as they weren’t well off at all. Our road gate is still referred to as the ‘Lord’s Gate’ locally.

      Reply
  • WiseMona

    The best kind of fame! I laughed too Lorna but all joking aside you are right. A farmer will read this and make note to get one of those Garrendenny lane heifers! Boutique farming has arrived!

    Reply

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