Lionel Mackey, Ballinclea House, Donard, Co Wicklow
Backround of the herd: In calf heifers were initially purchased in France in 1999. The herd now comprises of approximately 30 breeding Aubrac females.
Maternal Breeding: The herd has an overall maternal rating of €164, placing it firmly within the top 10% of all herds (across all breeds) in the country.
Top Maternal Cows: One of the top cows in the herd is ‘JL Batifol Shania’ (Sired by ORF). She has a maternal index of €188 (reliability: 43%). She was born on the 8th of March 2001. She has had 11 calves (including 1 set of twins), is a very hard working cow with an average calving interval of 364 days.
Key traits of interest: The breeding policy in the herd is based around sustainability, with an emphasis on maternal traits. Careful selection has ensured the herd performance is maintained to a very high standard with calves per cow per year currently running at an excellent 0.98.
Recent Sires used: Dreylands Fred, Remus, Roussel
Breeder’s comment: “The Aubracs originated from the Massif Central in France where their very rich milk was originally used in cheese making. Our breeding strategy here is to retain these excellent milk traits whilst always selecting for docility, easy calving and functionality”