Emerald Holsteins is a family run farm in Co. Limerick Ireland. The goal is to develop a herd with the highest quality pedigrees which can breed both high type cows with high production and longevity and also high index cows which are commercially sustainable and excel in both calving interval and milk quality. At Emerald, we are always striving to improve the genetics of our cows by investing, using top A.I. sires, flushing, implanting top quality embryos and genomics.
The current herd was established in 2001. Many cows and heifers were purchased mainly from top Irish herds including “Croagh”, “Monamore”, “Lisselan” and “Coolrue”. The herd has grown and developed over the years and Emerald Holsteins has won many honours from the show ring and herd competitions since 2001. This year was a particularly good year for Emerald Holsteins with “Emerald Talent Sue” achieving the score of EX95 to become the first ever EX95 point cow at Emerald. The herd is showing steady improvement all the time not only for classification but also for index and milk production.
Current cow families include: Rae, Ashlyn, Promis, Papoose, Sharon, Frosty, Fran, Finley, Jed Elizabeth, Chanel, Laurie Sheik, Lulu, Wish, Celicia,Jackie, Merrill, Butterfly, Sue and Darlene.
Meet The Team
Donal Neville is a dairy farmer from Croagh, Co. Limerick, Ireland. He is married to Kathleen and together with their three children they run the family farm.
Donal and Kathleen milk 130 cows all year round and supply milk to North Cork Co-op in Kanturk as part of Limerick Liquid Milk Producers Group. The Neville family have been very successful in competing and showing their pedigree holstein cattle.
Donal is vice-chairman of Limerick Liquid Milk Producers. He is also a supporter of Limerick GAA and enjoys refereeing at local level.
Thomas Neville, son of Donal & Kathleen, graduated with an Honours Bachelor of Science in Agriculture in Cork Institute of Technology in 2014. Thomas’s main roles at Emerald include marketing, sire advice, preparation and fitting of the show cows and calves. He is also currently working with the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation. He has also completed Level 5 and Level 6 in Dairy Management and has previously worked at Sterndale Holsteins, UK.
He loves to show and enjoys fitting cattle from the herd and has competed very successfully, along with his two sisters, at National and European Level including being named “champion handler” at the All-Ireland national YMA finals in 2014. Thomas and his sister Caitriona have both represented Ireland in the European Championships on 3 separate of occasions.
Caitriona (left) on halter for Chapelhill Holsteins All-Ireland YMA National Finals 2014 and (right) Presidents Medal winner Ann Neville, Limerick, with Kathleen Kelly
Ann and Caitriona Neville
Caitriona loves to show and enjoys preparing and leading cattle from the herd. Caitriona has also been very successful in the showring and was the first member of the family to be “champion handler” at the All-Ireland national YMA finals in 2013. Caitriona has also represented Ireland in the European Championships and went on to win her showmanship class claiming the red rosette in Europe.
Ann also enjoys to show the calves and has also many honors including representing Ireland twice in Europe for showmanship. Ann received the President’s medal in 2012 for her dedication to the young members “Limerick and Clare YMA” club for her role as club secretary.
Emerald Holsteins 