Teagasc head of beef advisory, Pierce Kelly, has called for an increase in the age at which Irish beef bulls are being traded. He said that young bulls pushed with strong feeding and sold at 12-14 months are not ready to run with large cow herds.

“ICBF figures show a huge fall out in Irish beef bulls by three and four years of age and I believe that our system of rearing and trading bulls is a factor in this attrition,” he added.

At this month’s beef bull show and sale in Stirling, Scotland, all of the bulls will be 18 to 20-months-old and ready for work.

Up until recently, the older bulls appearing at Irish showsales were discriminated against as buyers regarded them with suspicion.

“Irish farmers who purchase the 12- to 14-month beef bulls should either limit their initial use to a few heifers or cows, or else hold the bulls for another six months to allow them to mature,” Pierce Kelly told the Irish Farmers Journal.

Herd owners report that the young hothouse bulls from the National Performance Test Station in Tully had a particularly high level of infertility issues when released into commercial suckler herds.

This happened despite the bull handling advisory guidelines given by ICBF at the time of the sale.

However, there are signs that prejudice against buying older bulls is changing. Paul Sykes, secretary of the Irish Limousin Society herd book, said that more suckler farmers are buying bulls in autumn, that will not be released with cows until the following spring.

“The problem up until now is that the pedigree breeders are not getting anything extra for keeping their bulls for an extra four to six months,” he added.

Meanwhile, a research project at Teagasc Grange is evaluating the optimal feed regime for promoting early puberty in bulls. However, this is looking primarily at dairy bulls, with the view to more efficient AI collection.

CF52 sons receive top prices at Carrick sale

Sons of the legendary Charolais CF52 (Doonally New) were again among the top prices at last Saturday’s Midland and Western Livestock Improvement Society’s first show and sale of the year in Carrick-on-Shannon.

Overall, 38 of the 60 bulls on offer changed hands, with a top price of €3,600 and an average of €2,475. Five bulls went to NI. Judge Martin Ryan’s champion Mohedian Ivor, sired by Angelus and bred by John Keane from Croghan, Boyle, wasn’t sold. The Reserve champion Annaghcor Ivor, a November 2013 son of Lisnagree Elite and bred by Michael Dodd from Castlebaldwin, Sligo sold for €3,000. Martin Herity, Ballineden, Ballinfull, Sligo, topped the sale at €3,650 with a CF52 son, Coolembley Impressive. Another 52 son, Eddercloon Invincible, bred by John McGlynn from Dromod, Leitrim, sold for €3,600. A Pirate son, the €3,500 Clohanmore Iggy, bred by Michael Mullins from Kilrush, made €3,400. Other prices included:

  • €3,400 for Tullaghan Ivanhoe, sired by CF52 and bred by Michael Daly, Tullaghan, Co Leitrim.
  • €3,300 for Coolembley Inland, sired by Texan GIE and bred by Martin Herity, and for Annadale Isiah, a son of Lisnagree Elite, bred John T. Morrow, Ardara.

    • Six of the 10 Limousin bulls at Carrick were sold. With the reserve champion, Sheemore Imperial, sired by Don Juan and bred by Paddy Farrell, Ballinwing, Leitrim, achieving €2,300.

    Next Saturday, 14 February, Carrick-on-Shannon will host a show and sale of 89 Angus, four Shorthorn and six Hereford pedigree registered bulls.

    €7,000 for Holstein champion

    A top price of 5,000gns (€7,000) was paid for the champion Holstein at NI’s 25th annual spring bull show and sale in Moira. Overall, 28 lots averaged £2,539 in a 78% clearance. Sale leader, and judge John O’Sullivan’s show champion from the Lisduff herd in Cork, was Relough Ross PLI £378, a 15th Co-op Bosside Massey son, bred and exhibited by Ronald McLean Donaghmore. The dam, Relough Legend Roxie 2 VG89, gave over 10,200kg at 4.47% and 3.46% protein in her second 305-day lactation. Highest bidder was James Cummings, Castlederg.

    A 14-month-old De Su Freddie Galaxy son sold for 4,750gns for Ian and Kenny Watson, Macosquin. Majestic Galaxy Alert ET, PLI £385 is backed by nine generations of VG and EX dams, and is a maternal brother to Majestic Galaxy Alfie PLI £511 in the Genus ABS stud.

    His dam, Majestic Earnit Annette ET VG-2yr, is the number one GTPI Earnit daughter in Europe and gave 9,834kg at 4.31% fat and 3.22% protein in her first 305-day lactation. This third prize winner sold to Gordon Fulton, Dromore.

    Next best at 4,200gns was the honourable mention award winner Cluntagh Amazon ET PLI £199, consigned by Steven Robinson who runs a 150-cow herd in Crossgar, Co Down. Born in September 2013, he is the result of an embryo imported from the US. His sire was the Sandy Valley Bolton son Wabash Way Explode ET, while his dam is the Braedale Goldwyn daughter Larcrest Cambria ET VG87-2yr. Buyer was Gordon McCully, Ballyward, Co Down.

    Overall, the McLean family sold nine Relough bulls, to average £3,068/head.