In 2006 it may come to pass that the Blonde d’Aquitaine breed finally get a serious hold on the imagination of the Irish suckler farmer. On this day, 02 March 06, for the very first time a consignment of blonde bulls are heading to an Italian fattening unit to stand alongside French purebred cattle. This day has been a long time coming.

The prime motivator and driving spirit behind the introduction of Blondes to Ireland in 1974, was of course none other than Ann Fallon, RIP, and there is little doubt but that she would be happy with to-day’s news: unfortunately for her family and for the breed and indeed for the wider community of celtic tiger Ireland, Ann was called to her resting place long before the demands of old age, and at 59, died after a short illness, on 6^th May 1995.

Ann Fallon, nee Leigh, of Duncormick, in Co. Wexford, and her husband Garry, imported the first Blonde d’Aquitaine cattle into Ireland, in 1974. Eight high merit heifers were bought, and these formed the basis of the famous Lough herd, which she developed over the ensuing twenty years. Ann had a lifetime involvement in both horse and cattle breeding; she was a successful breeder of Aberdeen Angus for many years before becoming convinced of the tremendous merits of the Blonde breed. She applied her great judgement, skill and energy to the Blonde breed in this country, right up to the time of her death.

She had a wonderfull talent in all aspects of cattle breeding and stock management. She imported several Blonde sires into Ireland; the most famous of which was Eric who sired many show winners as well as two well known A.I. sires, Lough Harrier and Rathgarvan Louis. Ann was PRO for two years before succeeding the Society’s first secretary, Charlie Vaughan as secretary, a position that she was to hold for the next fifteen years until her untimely death.

As secretary, she cultivated great rapport amongst breeders, both in Ireland and in France. Such was the regard for Ann Fallon in France, that in 1986 she was awarded THE ORDER OF MERIT by the French government for her services to French Trade and Culture. Perhaps the best way to pinpoint the vision of Ann Fallon, is to acknowledge that she was a generation ahead of her time. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hAnam Dílis.

THE BLONDES IN IRELAND

The Irish Blonde D'Aquitaine Breed Society Cooperative was founded in 1974 and the first Blondes were imported in 1975. There are now approximately 150 members who own about 350 pedigree cows. The number of breeders and cows continues to grow steadily. The original importation contained a number of much sought-after bloodline and exports to Great Britain and Canada have taken place. In recent years the Irish breed has been rejuvenated by private importations of performance tested bulls from France and also semen from the top A.I bulls in France. A number of embryos have also been imported.

BLONDE FACTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

• In Germany one in six (15%) of beef breed A.I is to Blonde Bulls
• In Denmark the Blonde is now the 5th largest breed and still growing
• In Holland the Blonde is now the main beef breed.
• In Northern Ireland it is the third largest continental breed in A.I
• In Italy the Blonde commands prices higher than all other breeds.

THE ROLE OF THE BLONDE IN THE IRISH HERD

The Blonde d'Aquitaine in France is highly valued for its adaptability to a range of production systems:

• Suckled veal calves killed at 3 months giving a carcass of 120 kg.
• Suckler calves, fattened in Italy (450 kg) or Holland (700 kg).
• Intensive indoor bulls at 16 to 18 months giving carcass of 300 kg to 480 kg. Heifers and once calved heifers 24 to 26 months giving carcasses over 350 kg sold as Blonde Red Label Quality beef at a Premium price.
• Cull cows giving yields of quality beef at 10 to 15 years old.

The success of these systems depends on good feeding and the Blonde X is the ideal animal to convert food into beef. However, the same physiology that makes it an efficient beef producer makes it less suited to systems involving store periods of pro longed half-starvation. Farmers dedicated to such systems may find the Blonde slow to finish and is not recommended for such systems. It is however the breed of choice for single-suckler producers and growing numbers of fatteners at home and in Europe who specialise in finishing single-suckled weanlings. It also has an important place in dairy herds for the production of calves for 2 year calf to beef systems.