Irish Hereford Prime Farmer of the Year winner announced
A farmer from Freshford, Co. Kilkenny, has been announced as the Irish Hereford Prime Farmer of the Year.
The winner of the 2025 Irish Hereford Prime Farmer of the Year title is Edward Delahunty, who farms with his father Martin in Freshford, Co. Kilkenny.
The Delahunty farm is a long-established producer of Irish Hereford Prime beef and is also a strong advocate for the commercial benefits of the Hereford breed.
Edward is married to Lucy, with three children. Their farm is a busy place with dairy, tillage and beef enterprises, not to mention the Delahunty contracting business.
This busy environment means that the Delahuntys rely on their team of staff and family members to function efficiently and effectively.
About the farm
The dairy enterprise was originally a 100-cow winter milking herd but this spring will see the dairy herd become a fully spring calving herd.
There are approximately 100 cows on the milking platform. They are a 70% Holstein and 30% Friesian-type cow.
The average production figures for the herd are around 6,500L on average with 520kg milk solids.
3 Hereford stock bulls
In terms of sire selection, the Delahuntys buy-in all their replacement heifers, which in turn allows them to run three Hereford stock bulls on their farm - rotating one bull at every milking and running one with replacement heifers.
When Edward goes to purchase a new Hereford stock bull, he says that he looks at the animal first and foremost but then looks at its figures also.
Interestingly, two of the bulls on the farm that sired the 2025-born calves showed impressive carcass-weight figures on the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) indexes at +24kg and +16.3kg for carcass.
Edward uses a Hereford bull over other traditional breeds as he believes they are about 10% heavier at finish when reared through his system.
His opinion on the Hereford breed is very positive, and he believes there will be more Herefords born in Ireland in the coming years.
Edward runs a considerable agricultural contracting business and has his own tillage enterprise also.
This is why the Delahuntys use 100% stock bulls on their farm due to the busy spring that they tend to encounter every year.
Buying in calves
Edward also buys in 30-40 Hereford cross calves, both male and female, from neighbouring farmers every year.
He brings all stock through to finish, and with the average value of each animal having increased by approximately €800 due to the rise in beef prices.
This has boosted the profitability of his beef enterprise significantly but he did note that the late spring in 2024 and the resulting late turnout caused the carcass-weights of his cattle to be 13kg less than those achieved in the previous year.
Why Hereford for the Delahunty Farm?
Commenting on the Hereford breed, Edward said: "they are a very docile breed.
"My father Martin is getting older, but he is still out around the farm, so for us having bulls that are easy handled is important.
"Hereford cattle are always very saleable stock, combined with ease of calving, excellent calf vigour and a great ability to suck soon after they are born.”
The Delahuntys are very loyal Irish Hereford Prime suppliers over the years, with a huge affinity to the Hereford breed and its positive attributes.
Positive farming outlook
Edward has a very positive outlook on farming with the current demand for protein both in a beef and a dairy context.
He believes profitability in farming is more positive now and it is in fact regulations that are the biggest barrier for young people starting out.
Edward’s fondness for Herefords and their role in his beef system is very clear.
He said: "I could have more cows here but I love the beef side of farming especially the calf-to-beef, which is ideal with docile Hereford cattle.”
The beef cattle are generally at grass from St. Patrick’s Day until November each year on a paddock-based rotational system.
Once off grass, the cattle are housed on slats with rubber Mayo Mats.
Edward notes that paddocks are key to management and performance, meaning “lots of grass and regular moves”.
The soil on his farm is medium to light free draining without being sandy.
He places a big emphasis on maintaining soil fertility and regularly soil samples with the aim of maximising overall farm production.
Sugar beet grown on-farm is fed to cattle in the finishing period to help with growth rates and animal performance.
This award-winning Kilkenny farmer proves that when Irish farmers work together, while also embracing the strengths of the Hereford breed, they can achieve top results and promote their beef with pride.
Irish Hereford Prime
Farmer-led, Irish Hereford Prime was established in 1997 to market Hereford beef as a premium brand synonymous with quality and sustainability.
Today, it is Europe’s largest and oldest Hereford producer group with members across Ireland.
Members receive a bonus for stock that meets Irish Hereford Prime’s strict certification requirements. Sourcing new Hereford sires and sharing the latest research findings are among the many other practical benefits of membership.
Irish Hereford Prime is distributed to restaurant and hotels by Sysco Ireland and is available as part of the SuperValu Signature Tastes and Centra Inspired By ranges.
