The colder and windier weather has most certainly returned as we now move into September and Autumn quickly approaches. It’s been a busy few weeks here at the Society with Council meetings taking place and we have been busy finalising the second edition of the Cud which should be with you very shortly! Take a look at what’s been happening in and around the Society over the last 14 days.
News Roundup
The complete sale of the Autumn calving portion of the well-established Wolflaw Herd of pedigree Aberdeen-Angus will take place on the 21st October at Stirling Agricultural Centre, alongside the Liley, Cheerbrook and Westdrums sales. Make sure to check out what these fantastic herds have to offer!
The Breed Champion at the Bucks County Show was A E & C R Bishop’s bull Warrenho Jubilant Eric U727 (born 03.03.18).
The Winter National Calf Show will take place on the 1st of November 2019 at Borderway Mart, Carlisle at the Borderway Agri Expo. Entries close on Monday 30th September 2019 – make sure to get your entries in early!
The finalists for this year’s highly anticipated YDP final have been announced – good luck and congratulations to all of the finalists! All of the finalists can be viewed on the news section of the website.
The Munster Aberdeen-Angus Club will host an open day on the farm of Eustace & Deirdre Burke, Ballyginnane, Carrigaline, Co Cork on Sunday, September 22nd at 2pm. The Open Day will also play host to the prize-giving of the annual Munster Aberdeen-Angus herds competition that runs from September 19th – 22nd.
The Tomriland Aberdeen-Angus reduction sale will take place at Carnew Mart, Carnew, Co Wicklow on Saturday, October 5th at 2pm and promises to be a fantastic opportunity to acquire top class genetics from an established and successful herd.
The annual All-Ireland Aberdeen-Angus Championships was staged at the Dualla Show with a large showing of cattle catalogued for the final major event of the summer season. The supreme Aberdeen-Angus championship for 2019 was awarded to John & Sean McEnroe, Liss, Oldcastle, Co Meath with their intermediate stock bull, Mogeely Dreamer T534. The reserve supreme Aberdeen-Angus championship went to John & Kate Tait, Westwood, Rostellan, Midleton, Co Cork with their heifer calf, Westellen Dana U840.
We look forward to bringing you the second edition of the Cud which should be arriving through your mailboxes very shortly – make sure to keep an eye out! We will be attaching a tear out advertising form for the next edition of the Review so make sure to get your booking in early this year.
To keep up with all other news from the Society as well as all the latest updates from shows, sales and other events, just head over to the appropriate sections on our website.
News and features: http://aberdeen-angus.co.uk/news/
Show and Sales news: http://aberdeen-angus.co.uk/news/show-and-sales/
News and Notices from the CEO
• Most of the week before council is spent by myself and the team liaising with Chairs of committees and making sure that we are prepared and ready for the meetings.
• Extra preparation was required this time as we had committee meetings prior to the council which is not normal practice but we have so much happening it was deemed appropriate on this occasion.
• Time schedule for Committees was limited to 45 mins each led to a long day for Laura, Paul Jeenes and Alan Cheney who sit in everything!
• There is a little more detail coming to you on proceedings in The Cud but very briefly the following was discussed.
• YDP review of the year to date, new format review, City and Guilds bespoke module, Budget YTD, Selection process for YDP team for Australia Forum 2021.
• Other areas covered: breed promotions, review planning and content discussion, website and social media stats, paid for social media advertising, upgrading literature for 2020, show and sale attendance.
• Health – TB additional info available to back up zone information should we adopt. New view on IBR reporting and monitoring, update to herd Health booklet additions to website and sales health check form.
• Technical – DNA testing update, importance of DNA to breed and brand, maternal index, feed efficiency, genetic defects discussion and white markings project.
• Finance – Meeting with the brokers, discussion on all activities both core and through PCS, extra reporting to sort out for clarity.
• More detailed explanation will be with you in the Cud magazine which will be with you all this month.
• I mentioned that before the council meetings was taken up with preparing for them it is all consuming after them in the follow up for the team and myself and delivering what is requested to be done.
• Preparations for council meeting consumed a lot of time from the team and I and we will work towards delivering our objectives that have came from these meetings.
• It’s great to see Kathryn Bradshaw across with our IAAA councillors to work through things with Yvonne.
• The Royal show pavilion has been sanctioned for removal by council.
• No sooner does the show season draw to a close then the Sale season starts up again, much work to be done for all upcoming sales.
• Carlisle Autumn Sale entry closed. With barely 4 weeks between sale closure and the sale, time is very tight on having DNA and sire verification back, Caroline will be doing everything she can to help. Re visit closing dates has been requested.
• Our intrepid travellers Natalie Cormack and Isobel Campbell returned from Orkney where the weather hospitality as always on the Island exceeded expectations. Full write up on the visits will feature in the Review this year.
• Follow up after the council meetings with Denvir along with Amy Johnstone from the office who will be getting more involved with the website and social media.
• Next week sees Holstien UK’s Dairy Day at Telford on Tuesday where we attended last year to extol the virtues of Aberdeen-Angus on the dairy men.
• More of the completion of the follow up after council meetings, then a trip across to the Irish ploughing Championships with meetings lined up over there on CAAB, ICBF and I will get to meet the membership in the South.
• As a break from preparation for council and the weekend after the CEO set about the garden a bit at Pedigree House for a bit of exercise and fresh air! I’ve forgotten how painful both physically and metaphorically gardening is! Shown below is a before and after.
• A catch up with Roddy Hamilton following his Thrussendale farm sale last Friday reported being highly satisfied with the trade for his cattle showing that the demand for good well-bred Aberdeen-Angus cattle is high.
News and Notices from Laura Stewart the Office Manager
• Following the recent committee and Council meetings, I have been dealing with the follow-up actions that are required along with the production of the minutes and actions for each committee and Council.
News and Notices from Angela Cumming in the Finance Department
• Statements were posted out at the start of September. If you have any outstanding invoices, prompt payment would be very much appreciated. You can pay by cheque, internet banking or credit card.
News and Notices from the Registrations Department
• We have updated the look and feel of the new Zootechnical Pedigree Certificates which can be viewed here which we will now be issuing for all pedigree animals moving forward. The pedigree certificates will be issued to members within the next 7-10 days for all animals. These certificate changes are being enforced by EU rulings.
News and Notices from the Pedigree Cattle Services Department
• A reminder for members when taking a weaning weight for calves to be taking a mature cow weight for the dams, a weaning weight and mature cow weight goes towards your Completeness of Performance Star Rating. You can view the explanatory notes for The Completeness of Performance here.
News and Notices from the YDP
• We are busy sourcing new YDP uniforms for the highly anticipated YDP final on the 28-29th of September – we can’t wait to see all the finalists there!
• We would like to congratulate all of the finalists which were announced this week – well done to all!
Shows, Sales and Events
Key upcoming events are shown below:
• 12th September 2019 – Westmorland County Show – Westmorland County Showground, Lane Farm, Crooklands, Milnthorpe LA7 7NH, UK
• 14th September 2019 – Stirling Female Sale – Stirling Agriculture Centre, Stirling FK9 4RN, UK
• 17th – 19th September 2019 – National Ploughing Championships – Ballintrane, Fenach, Co. Carlow, Ireland – Stand number – Block 2, row 7, stand 169
• 28th – 29th September 2019 – YDP Final Event – Loughallen Equestrian Centre and Hotel, Leitrim, Ireland
• 28th September 2019 – Worcester Autumn Show and Sale, McCartney’s, Worcester
• 12th October 2019 – National Aberdeen-Angus Calf Show, Carrick-On-Shannon, Co Leitrim
• 16th November 2019 – Irish Aberdeen-Angus Premier Sale, Carrick-On-Shannon, Co Leitrim
Merchandise
Thinking about a present for Christmas or just that the weather is turning a bit cooler why not treat yourself or a friend to an Aberdeen-Angus bespoke tartan scarf!
Whilst stocks last for two weeks only we are offering 25% off and even chucking in a free Aberdeen-Angus pin badge for every scarf purchased! You can purchase a scarf and badge for only £18.75 (RRP £25)!
You can purchase by emailing the Yvonne at: [email protected], who can deal with and dispatch your orders for all our merchandise. You can pay over the phone by card or simply add it to your next invoice. Full range of merchandise available to view online at: https://www.aberdeen-angus.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Merchandise-poster-2018-web.pdf
From all at the Society, have a great weekend!
