For 8 days I have toured Northern Ireland and Ireland. 1905 km on the rental car. Fond memories, new places and great people. If you flip back to the starting posts on this blog you will see the love affair that I have with Ireland that started last year while my friend Lisa and I were travelling here. This country is warm, inviting, laid back and a place that I plan to visit again very soon. The people here are what really puts the experience over the top and I have always had a friendly greeting, smile and offers for assistance whenever I needed it here (and a few times when I was perfectly fine on my own)
I learned some very interesting things this week. Ireland is actually the 4th largest beef exporting country in the world; the majority of their product going into other EU countries. The herds on average are small but there are 60,000 beef producers in the Country, it adds up quick. The national herd from what I have seen is made up of Charolais, Simmental, Limousin with a splash of British Breed influence mixed in. Angus cross Holstein also were very popular.
Fertility was the issue that everyone I talked to seemed most concerned with but progressive young farmers are culling hard for it and ensuring that it is top of mind. I met with a lady named Lisa from the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation in Bandon, Co. Cork, Ireland the other day. They are taking special note of it as well and working with producers to address the issue. The ICBF focuses on genetic improvement to benefit farmers, agri-food industries and the wider community. They are the keeper of all the data for dairy and beef production in Ireland. I will post more on them next time.
I have visited beef and dairy producers, auction markets, industry organizations, marketing groups, branded beef programs and a processor. Covered the island almost from the far north down to the south west. It has been a great experience and I urge everyone to visit Ireland at least once. 
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