The future doesn’t just happen, it is created …. Our destiny is not in the stars, but in ourselves. We may need to follow in the wake of those who have gone before, but what we do and where we go is ultimately up to us. The attitude of initiative is an ongoing state of exploration that is never finished … the journey never ends

The Clonagh herd was established in March 1989 with the purchase of “Clough Sandra”, a prize winner at the Royal Dublin Show that year. Over the next five years we purchased 8 heifers at various society and dispersal sales, all of whom formed the back bone of today’s herd.

At that time we were milking 80 dairy cows and running the Simmental herd commercially, retaining female calves and selling bulls both at multi breed sales and privately on the farm. A Simmental stock bull was always kept for both the Simmental and dairy herd with AI being used on both at the start of the season.

After coming out of the dairy industry in 2001, it was then decided to concentrate more on the improvement of the Simmental herd with AI being used on 90% of the herd, a policy that has continued ever since. Only semen from the top AI bulls that meets the selection criteria for the herd and the individual female breeding stock is used. Detailed records are maintained on the performance of the progeny from these bulls . Those bulls whose progeny do not measure up to the criteria set are not used again. Only the best females are retained in the herd or sold for pedigree breeding stock.

The Clonagh herd is now one of the largest pedigree Simmental herds in the Republic of Ireland and offer a large range of cows, bulls and heifers for sale both on farm and at auction every year.

Health Status

At our annual herd test, all animals over a year old are tested for Johne’s & BVD. There has never been brucellosis in the herd or the surrounding area. A third of the bulls for sale each year are tested for IBR, BVD, EBL, Johnes and no animal has ever failed.

All animals are vaccinated for Leptospirosis and Salmonella. Calves are vaccinated for Blackleg. Cattle are only sourced from herds with similar status and isolated before entering the herd.

Show Herd

The show herd was established in 2003 from our first crop of AI calves. We started off on a good note with our top two calves “Napper” and “Neva” winning both their respective calf finals and numerous individual breed titles. “Napper” was crowned the National Yearling Bull Champion that year and ”Neva” took the Reserve spot in the National Yearling Heifer finals.

Our main achievements in the show ring to date include:

• South Eastern Club Show Herd of the Year 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007,2008
• 1st prize Tullamore National Livestock Show 2004 January heifer calf class “Cloneygowan Rose”
• Interbreed Champion Tinahely Show 2005, “Clonagh Neva”
• Reserve National Junior Cow 2006, “Clonagh Neva”
• Reserve National Intermediate Heifer 2006, “Clonagh Raven Kay”
• 1st prize Tullamore National Livestock Show 2006 Incalf heifer class “Clonagh Princess Edel”
• Interbreed Pairs Champions Tullow Show 2006, “Neva” & “Raven Kay”
• National Intermediate Heifer Champion & Reserve Overall Simmental of the year 2007, “Milton Senhorita”
• All Ireland Interbreed Suckler Type Heifer Champion 2007, “Milton Senhorita”
• Reserve National Junior Heifer 2007, “Clonagh T-Neva”
• National Male of the Year 2008 & Supreme Champion Simmental Beef Expo 2008, “Banwy T-Rex”
• National Intermediate Heifer Champion 2008 & 1st prize winner Beef Expo 2008, “Cloneygowan Temptress Posh”
• Reserve National Intermediate Heifer Champion 2008, “Clonagh Tilly Fiona”
• Supreme Champion RUAS Balmoral 2009, “Banwy T-Rex”
• Reserve Females Champion RUAS Balmoral 2009, “Milton Senhorita”
• First prize winner RUAS Balmoral 2009, “Clonagh Venus Grace”
• First prizewinner Tullamore National Livestock Show “Clonagh Adorable”
• Reserve National Intermediate Heifer Champion 2009 “Clonagh Venus”
• National Junior Cow Champion 2009 “Milton Senhorita”
• Reserve National Junior Cow Champion 2009 “Clonagh Temptress Posh”
• National Senior Male Champion and Overall Simmental of the Year 2009 “Banwy T-Rex”