Jon Regan, farmer, agri consultant, breed specialist, interest in wild life and all things nature. Jon farms marginal land at Tawley (near Kinlough), Co Leitrim. Jon is a Charolais and commercial breeder and is serving Irish Charolais council member and previously served as president of the Irish Charolais Society.
March and April are always busy months, and week beginning April 16 was particularly busy as Jon was preparing 2 bulls for the Midland and Western Livestock improvement Society show and sale of pedigree cattle in Carrick on Shannon, on Saturday 21st April. This involves preparing bulls to look and behave on their best through haltering, ring skills, washing and grooming.
Thankfully the effort paid off as “both bulls won their classes and one bull won the overall Charolais Champion at the show”. Jon went on to say that “despite the slow sale on the day I was quite please with the prices achieved”.
Jon says “I have been very busy over the last month with the improved drying conditions land reclamation continues, and last week I reseeded 6 acres and seed is starting to emerge. I am preparing a further 4 acres for sowing next week. I planted 1000 white and black thorn hedging and a further 1000 trees for a shelter belt. I have laid a wild life pond in the last 2 weeks, and repaired roadways on the land.
Stock turn out is almost complete. I have 23 replacement commercial heifers out since March 23rd and the remaining 6 pedigree cows and calves will be out this week.
All in all lots of work done this year and I am now looking forwarding to a short holiday in early May”.
Jon with some of his prize winning bulls