Aren’t they just beautiful? An Irish interview
By Damian McCarney
Hamish and Henry, Highland bulls from Michelle Shaughnessy’s County Longford farm
By simply standing there, they won the hearts of just about every passer-by. Viewers were transfixed for ages admiring a pair of Highland Cattle. They seem to hark back to some ancient past and radiate the feeling that they are the real deal when it comes to cattle.
With giant frames, luxurious indie-band fringes, horns befitting a dinosaur and an air of indifference to the fuss they cause, the bulls are completely comfortable in their own ginormous skins. You can't imagine an All-Ireland Champion Baileys Cow equivalent competition for these guys – not needing judges' validation, they simply wouldn't turn up to compete against these fabulous Highlands.
“Every show I go to there’s always another show looking for them because they are the most placid, gentle, gorgeous, stunning, beautiful cattle in the entire world.”
Anyway, these bulls Hamish and Henry need not flaunt their good points as they seemingly have the breed's greatest advocate in Michelle Shaughnessy to talk them up. Like an adoring mother grabbing her passing toddler for a snuggle, Michelle spontaneously attempts to bear hug her Highland guys who are maybe 20 times her size.
Seeing the closeness of their bond, I wonder what trauma Michelle must endure come factory day. She hastily explains she keeps her cattle as breeding pets and not for beef. “One of the joys of owning Highland Cattle is when it’s factory day I know my darlings will never go to the factory. “Never,” emphasises Michelle, who is a daughter of the late Mickey Shaughnessy who ran a large beef enterprise at Granard, Co Longford and who she adored. “I have to say for farmers it must be so tough to part with animals to whom you are so close. So, I always think it’s lovely to have a small herd of pets to hold on to.”
Michelle is proud to be a Trustee of the Highland Cattle Society and happily reports that the numbers of Irish members have swollen from a half a dozen to over 40 within a few short years. Her enthusiasm and willingness to bring Hamish and Henry to agricultural shows all around Ireland no doubt played a part in that growth.
“Every show I go to there's always another show looking for them because they are the most placid, gentle, gorgeous, stunning, beautiful cattle in the entire world.”
To source her Highland Cattle, Michelle continues to turn to Scotland and the United Kingdom to buy. “We still do not have our own Irish market with sufficient heifers for sale here. We have a healthy market for the stock bulls but we are still slow to sell and part with our ladies.” She talks with huge fondness and respect for the breeders whom she has sourced cattle from and starts recounting the mirage of different pedigree lines we now have in Ireland. “We are still in the early stage of our Highland Cattle breeding development here but we have some gorgeous pedigree registered cattle all around Ireland,“ she gushes with delight. She also speaks with such a warmth for the lovely genuine Highland Cattle breeders all across Ireland (North and South) and the friendly, helpful, and supporting network and community that is forming amongst them.
“I will turn myself inside out to help promote these beautiful cattle,” Michelle continues and fellow breeder in Northern Ireland, Alastair Moore does likewise and can’t do enough to help fellow breeders. There is a huge interest in them in Ireland at present. Primarily for the pedigree end but a few breeders are looking at the beef production side as well to balance it all out. Irish buyers are now definitely insisting on their pedigree certificates, doing their research, and ensuring they are buying registered pedigree cattle which delights me.
When asked about the complexity with importing these beautiful Pedigree Cattle, Michelle laughs… “don’t start me - well if it is not one thing it’s another at the moment with new rulings continuing to be rolled out by the UK Ministry DAERA and the EU officials. I honestly do feel like I break my hauliers’ hearts,” she flinches. “I just seem to hit on every new regulatory update and it is always at the last hour before export and then the chaos starts. In fairness I am hugely fortunate that Andrew and Aileen Ewing Hauliers are experts in their fields when it comes to the haulage, paperwork and latest Ministry/Customs regulations and guidelines. In any given day, there could be a new Ministry ruling update and we would often need to quickly analyse and interpret the new guidelines that may impact our imminent export – this literally could happen hours before my darlings are due to board a sailing to Ireland with Andrew Ewing or Robert McCreery. Thankfully, Aileen Ewing will have it quickly summarised in a few bullet points with her wise eagle eye and communicates the key relevant points applicable and relevant to our cattle’s movement. We want no issues or delays or hassle of any sort at customs for these cattle so everything must be up to date and perfect.”
“By late October, the outer oil coat will measure 13 inches in length while they are doubly insulated by a fluffier inner coat. Since they are essentially draped in a 15-tog quilt, Michelle’s strongly advises Irish breeders to always out-winter a Highland animal out in the field – they are well equipped for the worst an Irish January could hurl at them. ”
In a quick summary, Michelle explains, while never taking her eye of her beautiful cattle standing next to her at one of Ireland’s busiest agricultural shows, “current import regulations require a compulsory TB test 30 days prior to export; one GB tag number identical to their UK tag number to denote the cattle originated in the UK post Brexit; all females must now be BVD tested; no animals born before 14 February 2015 can be imported; we currently cannot import an in-calf cow into the Republic of Ireland but we can to Northern Ireland. The reason simply being the Republic of Ireland is declared a BVD-free state and no unborn calf can be imported under current rulings; all cattle must be health checked and certified by a veterinary inspector within 48 hours before export to ensure all are healthy and well to travel.
'“On arrival into Ireland, landing must take place at the port of Larne, in Northern Ireland. Hauliers Andrew Ewing or Robert McCreery must report immediately following disembarkation to a portal inspector and must co-operate with DAERA staff as required. Animals may not leave the port until a portal inspector has authorised such departure after a full inspection of every animal who are carefully removed from the lorry for examination.
“On arrival to Ireland all cattle moving from GB to Northern/Republic of Ireland, post-Brexit, now must be re-tagged with a new UK/ROI ear tag under the DAFM inspector’s supervision and multiple bloods tested to ensure we have a healthy animal.”
“Now that’s enough of the serious talk”, Michelle insists as the crowds smother around her but emphasises that no one knows the hard work and hours that Andrew Ewing and his drivers put in behind the scene. “For instance I was driving home from a show late last week with my prized darlings and I rang Andrew for a chat and to see what he was up to, it was close to midnight – ‘Is it too late to talk Andrew’ is my opening line and he replied in his thick Northern Ireland accent ‘No Michelle it’s not, we are here just about to load your cattle for the 4am sailing tonight to Ireland’.”
Michelle turns adoringly to what she calls her ‘darlings’ as one photographer after another lines up to take their pictures. She goes onto explain that the bulls' winter coats are impressive yet still not at their peak. By late October, the outer oil coat will measure 13 inches in length while they are doubly insulated by a fluffier inner coat. Since they are essentially draped in a 15-tog quilt, Michelle's strongly advises Irish breeders to always out-winter a Highland animal out in the field – they are well equipped for the worst an Irish January could hurl at them. She further advises that unlike other dairy/suckler cows, Highland cows don’t typically go to the bull until they are approximately three years. Michelle keeps her small fold at her Graffogue family farm in County Longford.
It is very apparent that Michelle thrills in the absolute fun and craic she has when she ventures over to her beloved Scottish Highland shows, sales and farms and explains that she just loves being in the company of her Scottish breeder pals. “I do a dance of delight in front of each one of them as soon as I set eyes on them when I noisily barge into Oban or Stirling Stars of the Future or the Highland Show. They are just such huge fun to be around, she gushes.
When asked what were the highlights of her year, as we conclude our wee chat, she twirls around with glee and gushes, “oh every day with my Highlands is a highlight, but if I was to reflect and pick, I’d gratefully thank Angus Mackay for so generously asking me to present some prizes in Oban back in February – I nearly passed out with pride. I thank Donald MacNaughton for so kindly asking me to present at the recent Royal Highland Show – I am still boasting about it. I thank Dochy Ormiston for his continued knowledge and time and allowing me respectfully visit the stunning Gusgurlach of Balmoral Highland champion at the infamous and beautiful Balmoral Castle Estate. I thank Ken Browne and the Society for the biggest honour of my Highland world in appointing me a Trustee and I finally would thank each and every one of the breeders in Scotland and the England for trusting me with your beautiful darlings – these folks simply put the biggest smile on my face every time I meet and speak to them. As the song goes, “Darlings, you’re the highlight of my life,” Michelle concludes.
I thank Michelle for her time and interview and I walk away with a smile on my face with the comforting thought that it is just so lovely to see the closeness of a human’s love for her cattle and in return the cattle’s love for their besotted owner. Scotland’s beautiful Cattle are certainly in safe and loving hands on Ireland’s Emerald Soil.
