TheHarpNews.com

July Edition 2007

News

Earlswood Winners

By Enda Mullen

Peter with his prize-winning Irish Moiled Cattle

An Earlswood farmer is doing his bit to ensure a rare breed of Irish cattle does not die out.
Peter Bulcock only decided to breed rare Irish Moiled Cattle after his son went to agricultural college, setting out to boost the numbers of a breed that was in danger of dying out.
Five years ago the former builder bought land in Lady Lane, Earls-wood, at a time when the position of the rare breed was critical.
There were just 250 breeding cows remaining worldwide and now thanks to the efforts of Peter and others that number has increased to 280.
Now Peter is exhibiting his cattle and enjoying considerable success.
The Staffordshire and Birmingham Agriculture Show in May saw Earlswood Siobhan claiming 2nd place for the best cow in the show, and 1st for her breed.
Peter's bull, Earlswood Oliver, also obtained a creditable 4th place, no mean feat considering he is a "mere teenager" of 19 months competing against bigger 5-6-year-old bulls.
At the Three Counties Agriculture Show in Malvern last month Earlswood Siobhan claimed 2nd place, with the judge saying he would have placed her first had she not been carrying too much weight.
Peter has a growing herd of 10 including six breeding cows, one bull and three calves and he has plans to expand. Some of his cattle are sold on to other farmers and breeders and the steers are sold as organic meat.
He has decided to wait a year until showing his calves, when they will be entered into the yearling category as one-year-old heifers.
But it has not been plain sailing by any means, as Peter explained.
"Two years ago it could possibly have been another story," he said.
"With the birth of her first calf we needed two vets for four hours trying desperately to save the cow after the calf was born dead."
Explaining why his cattle include Earlswood in their name, Peter added: "All of our cattle have the prefix of Earlswood, so in the cattle world these placings really put Earlswood on the map."
Bowyer Farm is a family business and Peter hopes his daughter, who will go to agricultural college in September, will continue the farm after he retires.

Ikea in Ireland
The home furnishing superstore Ikea had been given permission to open a branch in Ballymun, Dublin, but not with out strict conditions.
An Bord Pleanála approved of the development of the store on numerous conditions including it is not opened before the M50 upgrade, it does not open it’s doors for retail before 11am and the store must provide a bus service to Ballymun itself. The opening of the store is planned for December and it is estimated that it will create 400 jobs.

€Eagles return
15 white eagle chicks were taken to Killarney National Park in a bid to re-introduce extinct birds into the country. The birds of prey, originally form Norway, were seen as vermin in the early 1900s and hunted heavily causing their extinction. The 15 chicks are part of an extensive five-year plan of importing one hundred chicks and they will be released in Co. Kerry when they are able to fly. Farmers have voiced concerns that the birds may attack lambs.