{"id":8060,"date":"2020-08-06T09:30:00","date_gmt":"2020-08-06T09:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/herdwatch.com\/transitioning-from-playing-professional-rugby-to-full-time-farming\/"},"modified":"2026-05-25T13:32:04","modified_gmt":"2026-05-25T13:32:04","slug":"transitioning-from-playing-professional-rugby-to-full-time-farming","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/herdwatch.com\/en-uk\/blog\/transitioning-from-playing-professional-rugby-to-full-time-farming\/","title":{"rendered":"Transitioning from playing professional rugby to full-time farming"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Former Irish rugby international Rory Best has embraced the farming life after bringing his professional rugby career to an end in 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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After 124 appearances for the Ireland international rugby team, the Armagh native returned to the family farm near Poyntzpass to help his father, John, and his brother, Simon, in the running of the farm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Rory spoke about the transition back into farming after 15 years of senior rugby with Ulster and Ireland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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He explained: \u201cThe transition from rugby to full-time farming has been reasonably good. I\u2019ve really enjoyed it. Even though the lockdown period, in account of Covid-19, was really difficult for everyone, I think for me, personally, transitioning at this time meant I had no other distractions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“I wasn\u2019t being pulled to events to do with rugby. This, in turn, meant I could focus on farming and getting work done around the farm. Basically, it gave me time to readjust and get fully involved in the family-run enterprise once again.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cI have enjoyed it getting back into it; it\u2019s something I have loved doing since I was \u2018no-age\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/hdBa911ag_M<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Pedigree Aberdeen Angus Herd<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Rory went on to talk about the system in place on the farm and about his pedigree Aberdeen Angus herd and how dairy herds are keen to use Angus bulls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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He said: \u201cWe could be running \u2013 at any one time \u2013 from 140 to 150 head of cattle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cWe calve the cows down in March and we are try to get them away [the calves] the following July or August, as young bulls; the majority of which end up in dairy herds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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It\u2019s a good system; it works well for us to calve in very early in spring to get them onto their feet and out onto grass as soon as possible.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cTo be successful we\u2019ve got to get and keep our fertility high and that\u2019s a big thing for us. If we can get a calf a year from every cow and get them weaned at \u2018half body weight\u2019 going into the housing period we will be happy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cEase of calving is a big thing for us. A lot of our bulls go into the dairy herd because dairy farmers don\u2019t want to be pulling big calves out and we don\u2019t want that either here on our farm.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Use Of Herdwatch<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The Herdwatch app has been \u201cinvaluable in the day-to-day running of the farm\u201d according to Rory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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He added: \u201cI chose to go with Herdwatch because the phone is something you have with you at all times. I\u2019m able to pull the phone out at any time to check stock and check for anything that needs to be done \u2013 such as weight recording.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Ultimately, it\u2019s the simplest way to keep records. for example. You\u2019re not writing down on scraps of paper, it\u2019s whoever has got the phone \u2013 they register any information that needs to be recorded.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cThe big change is that it\u2019s done then and there. It\u2019s straightforward and, for me, when I was still playing rugby, I was able to pull the phone out of my pocket and keep in the loop and get jobs done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cOne major benefit is the weight recording. It is really important for us and the great thing is that my father and I can do it together. When we are weighing our calves, we can input the weights into the app and it gives you the daily live weight gain for each one.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Rory added: \u201cThe calves are registered and tagged straightaway, so that we don\u2019t forget about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cIf you have any issues you can phone Herdwatch. They can sort it out remotely as well and talk you through what you need to do, so for me the support you get is invaluable.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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