On Saturday, the Irish Charolais Cattle Society held its first sale of the autumn season in Carrick-on-Shannon, Co Leitrim.

Forty Charolais heifers were catalogued for the elite heifer show and sale, all of which were pre-sale inspected.

On the day, 35 heifers were offered for sale, with 21 of those finding new homes. There was a sticky trade overall, with a clearance of 60% and an average selling price of €4,070.

Trade topped at €6,300 for two-year-old Dereskit Too Nice, from Co Cavan breeder Basil Bothwell.

A daughter of the French sire Horace JD and a homebred dam by Anside Foreman, Too Nice goes back to the herd’s cornerstone cow Dereskit Rosetta.

A single carrier of the F94L gene, she catalogued with a terminal index value of €138, along with a carcase weight figure of +43kg. She sold to a new herd in Co Louth, which purchased three heifers at the sale.

Two lots at €6,000

Having been awarded the reserve senior champion title by judge Sean McGovern from Northern Ireland, Lisnagre Time Bomb ET went under the hammer at €6,000.

The property of Jim Geoghegan from Co Westmeath, this two-year-old heifer is also a daughter of Horace JD, going back to Ballydownan Violet ET on the dam’s side.

A single carrier of the Q204X gene, this one went north to a herd in Co Tyrone.

Also selling at €6,000 was Breaghwyhill Tess 2 ET, exhibited by Eamonn O’ Connor from Co Sligo.

Another heavy terminal hitter, Tess is a daughter of the great CF52 and Liscally My Fair Lady 3 ET.

Having been shown successfully all summer, she went to sale carrying a copy of both myostatin genes and found a new home just outside Tubber, Co Galway.

Senior and junior champion

Overall senior champion went the way of Ardabrone Tracy ET, brought out by Sligo-based breeders James and Karl Kelly, while the junior champion came in the form of Tawny Ur Highness ET, for Ciaran Daly from north Leitrim.

Both daughters of Fury Action, Ardabrone Tracy failed to meet her reserve in the sale ring, while auctioneer Tom Cox brought the hammer down at €5,000 for Tawny Ur Highness ET.

For a full report from Saturday’s elite Charolais heifer show and sale, pick up a copy of this week’s Irish Farmers Journal.