The Irish Angus Exhibition Centre at the National Ploughing Championships was a hive of activity on Thursday week last as RTE broadcaster, Miriam O’Callaghan presented a number of secondary school groups from around the country with five Irish Angus Cross calves to rear as part of a unique secondary schools competition.
One of these teams included Davis College, Mallow, who along with Laurel Hill Secondary School, Limerick; Glenamaddy Community School, Galway; Ashbourne Community School, Meath and Scoil Mhuire, Strokestown, brought the calves home from the National Ploughing Championships to rear for the next 18 months, until their slaughter in 2019.
The students at Davis College, Mallow have been tasked with highlighting the versatility of Certified Irish Angus Beef for consumers. They will analyse the factors that affect the quality of beef, explore its flavour profile and develop a creative approach to making beef more appealing for families and children
The Certified Irish Angus Beef Schools Competition aims to encourage second level students to gain an understanding about the care and attention that is required to produce and market the highest quality beef for consumers.
In addition to rearing the calves, the schools will complete a project focussing on a different aspect of farming and the food chain.
The Certified Irish Angus Beef Schools Competition aims to allow students to apply the knowledge they learn in the classroom to a real-life setting.
Each of the finalists will receive the financial benefit involved in the selling of the animals to the processors on completion of the project.
The winning students also receive an additional grant of €2,000 for their further education.
The competition is being run by the Irish Angus Producer Group, along with its processor partners, ABP Ireland and Kepak.
