As the year draws to a close, we recall what has been another eventful year of pedigree and commercial cattle sales and look back at some of the highest-priced animals across all breeds.
The sale year commenced with many breeders concerned about the effects of the changes to the Euro-star indices which were introduced by the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) in November 2023.
Some breeds saw significant changes in their breed averages, leaving breeders fearful for the upcoming spring sales.
Euro-star indices
Indeed, indices did play a pivotal role in sales, with dairy farmers focusing more on the dairy beef index (DBI), with the introduction of the commercial beef value (CBV) to mart boards.
Index values also had a major impact on suckler farmers' buying decisions, in many cases to comply with the requirements of the Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme (SCEP).
When all is said and done, indices are only a guide, a tool to help breeders make more informed breeding decisions.
However, through schemes such as SCEP and the Dairy Beef Welfare Scheme (DBWS), indices are controlling breeding decisions on many farms.
The ICBF asserts the national herd is going in the right direction and genetic improvements are being achieved through these schemes.
Many pedigree breeders will argue the characteristics of breeds are being lost as breeders chase indices.
Possibly the biggest concern for pedigree breeders is the narrowing of the gene pool in all breeds, as a result of breeders using the highest-index bulls available to them.
Out-cross genetics
With the importation of out-cross genetics from abroad getting more and more difficult as a result of health regulations, this is a major problem for pedigree cattle breeding going forward.
Despite all of this, trade across the board remained steady all year, with the more traditional breeds selling well, mainly due to the increase in dairy cow numbers.
Some of the continental breeds have seen buyers become more selective, with a greater focus on quality, as suckler cow numbers continue to decline.
It has become apparent that customers from Northern Ireland and the UK are vital for these breeds’ sales. This was most notable at the Irish Charolais Cattle Society’s Christmas Cracker sale on 30 November, where 22 of the 57 bulls that sold went for export.
Commercial
The highlight of the year was the six-month-old commercial calf that sold for €30,000 at the Winter Fair in Carrick-on-Shannon on Monday 25 November.
Exhibited by Derrick Forde from Co Galway, this 345kg Limousin-cross heifer calf is sired by Milbrook Dartangan ET, while her mother is a daughter of the top Belgian Blue bull Empire D’ochain.
The Galway man has enjoyed a phenomenal year, having sold a red and white Belgian Blue heifer calf for the top price of €19,000 at the elite commercial cattle sale in Stranorlar Mart in November.
Irish Aberdeen Angus
Shane and John Murphy from Co Cork broke the record price for an Angus bull sold at a society sale in Ireland at the Irish Aberdeen Angus Association’s Extravaganza in October at Mid-Tipp Mart.
Just 11 months old on sale day, Mercury Red Evo Z910 sold for a whopping €27,800. This red Angus bull is a son of Mccornick Paramount W768 and Luddenmore Ellen Erica W442.
Securing Red Evo Z910 was John Elliot of the renowned Rawburn herd in the UK, who purchased the young red bull in partnership with Angus House Farm in Romania.
Charolais
Topping this year’s Charolais trade at €15,000 was the overall intermediate champion at the Irish Charolais Cattle Society’s Christmas Cracker sale at Elphin Mart in December Beachview Uberto.
Born in August 2023, Uberto was bred by Dermot O’Dowd and Sarah Curran in Co Meath.
A son of stock bull Theforge Sonny and the Prime Roberto daughter Doon Jodie, Uberto caused quite a stir among breeders as he did not qualify for the SCEP. He sold to the famous Maerdy herd in north Wales.
Simmental
It was the yearling heifer Coose Roisin P that sold for the top price in the Simmentals this year at €15,500.
Following on from their success at the same venue in 2023, where they claimed the top price, the Coose team of John and Ronan Tuohy from Co Clare received the highest price at the Irish Simmental Cattle Society’s Premier Sale in October at Roscommon Mart.
She is sired by the herd's stock bull Tulla Jaguar P and was secured by Alfie Shaw for his Glebe Farm Herd in Northern Ireland.
Limousin
Hitting the high note in the Limousin this year was the Haltcliffe Dancer son Milbrook Terence ET, which sold for €17,000 at the Irish Limousin Cattle Society’s Premier Sale at Roscrea Mart in March.
He is a son of Milbrook Naughtyspice ET, the supreme champion at Balmoral show in 2023, which is a full sister to Wilodge Poshspice, the heifer that set a new world record in Carlisle when she sold as a 14-month-old in 2021 for 250,000gns.
Terence was bred in Oldcastle Co Meath by William Smith.
Hereford
Tom and Anselm Fitzgerald from Co Westmeath achieved the highest price for a Hereford this year on two occasions.
Born in April 2022, Griananpoll 1 Whizkid topped the Irish Hereford Breed Society’s sale in March at Tullamore Mart, where he sold for €6,000.
A son of Ccr 57g Stamina ET, Whizkid goes back to the herd’s well-known orange cow line.
Griananpoll 1 Advance matched this price of €6,000 for the Fitzgerald’s at the society’s premier autumn sale in October at Tullamore Mart.
This homozygous polled bull is a son of Fabb 1 Northern Star and Dendor 1 Greta 31st. Like many of this year’s high sellers, he traded to a herd in Northern Ireland.
Shorthorn
Setting a new record price of €8,000 for a Shorthorn heifer at a society sale in Ireland and topping the Irish Shorthorn Cattle Society’s premier sale at the showgrounds in Carrick-on-Shannon in October was the 10-month-old weanling heifer Bushypark Roisin 4th.
She was exhibited by Co Clare breeder John Keane, who had a day to remember, as he went on to take the three highest prices in the female section, as well as the junior female and reserve junior female championship titles.
The record breaker is a daughter of Caramba Pageboy and Bushypark Roisin 2nd. This white heifer was purchased by Clive Richardson from Northern Ireland.
Irish Angus
Laheens Villager was the highest-priced Irish Angus animal in 2024 at €8,100. He sold at the Midland and Western Livestock Improvement Society sale in February at the showgrounds in Carrick-on-Shannon.
Exhibited by Cormac and Cathal Duignan from Co Leitrim, this Fordel Lockdown son was 17 months old on sale day. He sold to the Coolcran pedigree Angus herd in Co Mayo.
Friesian
The highest price at the Irish Holstein Friesian Association’s premier show and sale at Kilmallock Mart in March was achieved by Radney Kentucky.
Exhibited by Henry O’Keefe from Co Cork, Kentucky sold for €4,800, despite being one of the youngest lots in the sale. He is a son of Gortcreen Sebastain and the VG87 classified cow Radney Steve Triempress.
Aubrac
Two Aubrac bulls sold for the highest price of the year at the Irish Aubrac Cattle Society’s premier sale at Tullamore Mart in October.
Turloughmore Sensational ET was the first bull through the ring and sold for the day’s joint top price of €5,000.
Sired by the AI bull Despagnou, Sensational was exhibited by Galway-based breeder Kevin O’Brien and sold to Leo Dooley’s pedigree herd in Co Wexford.
Francis Donohoe from Collinstown, Co Westmeath, also received a call of €5,000 for his March 2023-born bull Johnstown Terminator 3530, which was awarded the male championship and reserve overall championship titles in the pre-sale show.
A son of the French import Nickel, he sold to a herd in Co Donegal.
Salers
Top price in the Salers this year was achieved by the 26-month-old heifer Cashelard Bordeaux.
She sold at the Irish Salers Cattle Society’s annual breeding heifer sale in Gort Mart in October, where she realised €3,900. Exhibited by Ryan Griffith from Co Donegal, she is a daughter of Progressive Genetics AI sire Baron and the French-bred cow Poupee. She sold to Tom and Cian Mulchay from Strand, Co Limerick.