Opportunity to purchase Elite cattle

The prizewinning sirloin steaks, from a Hereford heifer reared on David Weir's farm near Dungannon

This is the third Elite Hereford Breeders Sale,and according to Raymond Pogue, Director of the Elite Breeders Group, promises to be the strongest event ever.

Scheduled for Monday 22nd February the sale includes a strong entry of the best of Northern Ireland’s young Hereford sires providing both beef and dairy farmers with an outstanding selection to choose from.

“We are looking forward to another successful event as the Hereford breed continues its remarkable resurgence of recent years. Consumers have become much more discerning about their food purchases and brands like Hereford beef which bring an enhanced level of quality and consistency are in demand and earning substantial premiums. This demand and the associated premiums are reflected right along the supply chain and dairy farmers with Hereford cross calves to sell are enjoying very good prices,” says Raymond.

The M and W Meats team celebrating their success in the Butchery Excellence Competition with Pamela Ballantyne at the awards ceremony

Indeed a father and son-in-law team has come up trumps in one of the province’s most prestigious food competitions thanks to the popularity and quality of the Hereford breed.

David Weir is well known as a producer of top quality beef from his farm near Dungannon having twice won the Hereford Cattle Society’s suckler herd competition in Northern Ireland, while son in law, Clayton Moore is fast building a reputation as one of the province’s top retail butchers.

Together they trade as M & W Farm Meats at Scotch Street, Portadown and they swept the boards in the recent Butchery Excellence competition securing a string of awards. This included the “Butchers Shop of Year” award and the overall “Champion of Champions.”

Individual class wins in the Barbecue Sirloin and Premium Beef burger categories were also achieved courtesy of the farm quality assured Hereford heifers produced from David’s herd.

M and W Meats staff with some of the prizewinning beef outside the shop at Scotch Street, Portadown.

David runs two Hereford bulls with his continental bred suckler cows and is delighted with the performance of the Hereford crosses.

He says: “The Whiteheads produce a quality, well finished carcass at a young age and at the ideal weight for our butchery business. Our customers really appreciate the succulence and flavour and that’s what brings them back week after week.”