Charolais premier sees high of €11,500

The struggling trends witnessed across pedigree sales were again replicated at the Irish Charolais Cattle Society premier sale in Elphin over the weekend, writes Shane Murphy. While bull trade was tough, some minor highs were still witnessed throughout the day, while a strong female trade closed out the day.

Leading the day’s trading with a top call of €11,500 was Mullawn Noble. Bred and exhibited by Austin Garvey, this stylish second-prizewinner packed all the favourites in his pedigree being sired by Doonally New and out of a Pirate-sired cow. Combining five-star terminal index with three stars on the replacement and a calving index of 7.3%, Noble stayed in his home county when the hammer dropped to Michael O’Reilly, Ballinamore.

While the sale may have gone down tougher than anticipated, the pre-sale show will go down as a day to remember for breeder Jim Geoghegan, who performed the double by securing both the senior and junior male championships.

Senior and junior male champions both came from the Lisnagre herd. Pictured are judge Charlie Boden, James Geoghegan, Jim Geoghegan (breeder) and Kevin McQuire (president Irish Charolais Cattle Society). \ Alfie Shaw

Senior and junior male champions both came from the Lisnagre herd. Pictured are judge Charlie Boden, James Geoghegan, Jim Geoghegan (breeder) and Kevin McQuire (president Irish Charolais Cattle Society). \ Alfie Shaw

Taking the helm as judge for the day was Charlie Boden who owns the noted Sportsman herd in England. He found the day’s senior champion in the form of Lisnagre My Hero.

One of the oldest bulls catalogued, being born in September 2016, My Hero is a son of Cloverfield Excellent, while the dam line features Major, Jupiter and the prolific herd matriarch Ballydownan Simone. This bull boasted five stars on the terminal index and carried a calving figure of 9.9%. Successful bidder at €10,000 was Aidan Houlihan.

In the junior section, this time it was Mr Geoghegan’s Lisnagre Nero ET who was tapped forward. This bull features a similar pedigree with Jupiter the sire, while Major and Ballydownan Simone feature in the dam’s side.

Despite lacking stars on the €uro-Star terminal and replacement indices, and with a higher calving difficulty, this bull’s presence and pedigree brought him over the line with a final bid of €7,000 from Welsh breeder JAW Rees.

Claiming the second-highest price of the day and a blue rosette in the show ring was Crossane4 Napoleon.

This January 2017-born bull from Eoin McGovern caught the eye of Galway native Paddy Holian, who secured Napoleon at the price of €7,900. Sired by Prime Roberto, the stylish second-prizewinner also features Doonally New and Padirac in the back breeding.

Conal Tiernan was next in line when he sold Coshleens Nathan for €6,300. This bull comes with a highly proven pedigree, which features Pirate, Cavelands Fenian and Lyonsdemesne Tzar. With five stars on both the terminal and replacement indices, he was knocked down to local breeder John Glancy.

The day’s reserve junior champion came in the form of Jerry O’Keeffe’s Grangwood Nugget ET. This stylish meat machine by Goldstar Echo was out of Enfield Picasso daughter Grangwood Emerald, which goes back to French import Petite Dor.

With five stars on the terminal index and a calving figure of 7.3%, Nugget was secured for €6,000 by Michael Delaney, Mountrath.

Matching him at this price was one of the earlier lots into the ring, Kilvilcorris Montana from Matt Ryan, Thurles, Co Tipperary. This bull boasted an in-demand pedigree with Doonally New, Pirate and Doonally Nicefor. With a terminal index of €160, this second-prizewinner was secured by James Cogan, Riverstown.

Matt Ryan also secured a bid of €5,000 for his second exhibit Kilvilcorris Major. This November 2016-born bull was sired by Doonally New, this time out of an Indurain-bred dam. A blue rosette winner in the pre-sale show, this one was knocked down to Frank Gilmartin, Co Sligo.

Also securing a bid of €5,000 was the first-prizewinning Carrowkeel08 Mervin from Thomas Gormley, Elphin. This 15-month-old bull was out of proven easy calver Blelack Digger, while the dam Carrowkeel Camilla is an Enfield Plexus daughter. Mervin now heads to Mayo with Catherine McDonnell.

The reserve senior championship was won by Mattie Kelly, Ballinasloe, for his October 2016-born Cloughbrack Mustang. Burradon Talisman was the sire behind this one, with Jupiter and Enfield Hara Kiri also in the back breeding. A high calving index of 13.6% limited this bull’s market. However, he did find a new home, selling for €3,500 to Owain Llyr, Wales.

While buyers were more scarce than other years, due mainly to the extended housing season this year on most Irish farms, potential buyers who were in a position to spend weren’t afraid to invest in the right animal.

A point worth noting from the sale was that bulls trading saw a big shift in selection criteria. While great emphasis had been placed on choosing bulls with higher figures on the replacement index in recent years, a turn has finally emerged with bulls now, in many cases, being chosen by phenotype and pedigree first, with the indices being used as an aid.

Overall, 39 bulls sold on the day, which represented a 57% clearance. This is down from 67% on the year or 14 less bulls sold. However, averages increased by €496 to settle at €4,246.

Females

The female trade was a big improvement on the bulls with 12 selling, representing an 80% clearance. This is eight more than were sold at last year’s sale, with the average also increasing by €400 to settle at €3,250.

It was a double in the female ring, with the Carrowbeg herd securing female champion and reserve. From left: Charlie Boden (judge), with breeders Michael and Kevin Graham.

\ Alfie Shaw

It was a double in the female ring, with the Carrowbeg herd securing female champion and reserve. From left: Charlie Boden (judge), with breeders Michael and Kevin Graham.

\ Alfie Shaw

The pre-sale show also provided a double win in the female ring, with Michael and Kevin Graham of the Carrowbeg herd claiming both the female and reserve female championships.

Securing the overall championship and later the top female price was Carrowbeg Magic 2. This almost two-year-old heifer features Prime Roberto, Bova Sylvian and Excellent in her lineage. A key selling point, she sold scanned in calf three months to old favourite Pirate. This one traded at €5,500, selling to the Bostonia herd in Co Sligo.

The Graham duo’s second exhibit Carrowbeg Magic 3 also topped her class before being tapped forward as reserve female champion.

This October 2016-born heifer was out of Fiston, while dam Carrowbeg Holly is sired by Goldstar Echo and of the same female line as the day’s overall female champion. Selling at €3,700, this one sold to the Boyd family for their Faus pedigree herd.

Second-best price in the female ring went to Michael Quin, Newmarket-on-Fergus, Co Clare. His 30-month-old heifer Clenagh Lola 2 ET is sired by Texan-Gie, while the dam is sired by Roundhill Rocky. She sold scanned in calf to Whitecliff James. Eoin McGovern secured Lola 2 for €4,300.

Terence Boyle secured Tawny Meeney Miney Moo with a bid of €4,200. Bred and exhibited by Ciaran Daly, Leitrim, this May 2016-born heifer’s pedigree features Blelack Digger and Enfield Plexus. Meeney sold in calf to Cavelands Fenian.

Jerry O’Keeffe was next in line in the females when he received €4,000 for Grangwood Mistress. This 22-month-old heifer is sired by Heracles, with the dam line going back to the well-known Merveille. Successful bidder was Michael Tumelty from Co Down.