OUR BEEF

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Parknageragh Beef Herd

The Parknageragh beef herd consists of approximately:

  • 50 purebred Aubrac cows
  • 40 purebred Saler cows
  • 20 purebred Charolais cows
  • 20 crossbred cows

Parknageragh House and its demesne were purchased by Mike McAuliffe in the mid-1990s. The first Salers were imported from France in 1996, followed by the first Aubracs in 1998.

Breeding Programme

The Aubrac herd typically includes two stock bulls. The newly purchased bulls in 2021 came from exceptional bloodlines, including Hereux. One of the outgoing bulls was Four Candles, from the renowned Boubal herd in France.

A comprehensive herd health programme was implemented by Shane McAuliffe, in collaboration with Sean O’Sullivan and John Quille of Castle Vets, veterinary consultant Tommy Heffernan, and HIPRA.

Several cows are fitted with SenseHub ear tags to aid in heat detection. This system allows for precise artificial insemination timing and also monitors rumination, feeding patterns, and daily activity. Alerts are sent if a cow shows signs of distress in the field or during calving.

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SALES

breeding stock

Purebred registered heifers are sold as breeding stock.

Heifers

Heifers not retained or sold are sent to the factory at approximately 26 months.

Pedigree bulls

Pedigree bulls are sold as stock bulls, while others are fattened and sold between 16 and 24 months.