On the final Saturday of March, the Irish Simmental Cattle Society held its first outing of the year, the annual spring premier show and sale. The sale was held in Roscommon Mart, with 38 bulls and 18 heifers catalogued.

With slightly lower numbers than expected presented for sale, the trade remained solid, with buyers and spectators from all over Ireland and Britain present.

Johnny Hazelton from the Ranfurly Simmental herd in Northern Ireland was tasked with judging the pre-sale show, and his sharp eye was well backed up in the sales ring as his senior champion, Coose Nebraska P, soared to €16,200.

Bred by father and son team John and Ronan Touhy from Whitegate, Co Clare, the August 2021-born bull was sired by Coose Lincoln ET out of a Curaheen Evolution dam.

Auctioneer Tom Cox opened the bidding at €5,000 and after a blast of bids, the hammer fell at a hugely impressive €16,200 as the champion bull sold to Michael Durno’s Auchorachan herd in Scotland.

Boasting a page full of stars and figures, the heterozygous polled bull had a replacement index of €154 and a terminal index of €112 and was bred from the same home as last year’s senior male champion, Coose Mackintosh, which sold for €7,000.

The second highest price of the day came when the hammer fell at €8,400 for the junior champion, Bighill Parker ET.

The February 2022-born bull was bred by Fergal Doherty, Letterkenny, Co Donegal, and was sired by Curaheen Warrior ET out of a Delfur Decider dam.

His dam, Bighill Honey Pie, has bred bulls and heifers into some of the top herds in Ireland and the UK and Parker was no exception as he was secured by the they Islavale herd of the Stronach family from Scotland.

The third highest price came when the hammer fell at €5,500 for Glanville Phoenix P from the herd of John Michael Larkin, Loughrea, Co Galway.

The February 2022-born bull was sired by Sneumgaard Imperator Pp out of an Anatrim Bodybuilder dam and boasted bloodlines from some of the best polled and horned lines in the country.

There were 21 bulls sold on the day, with 13 of those 21 securing €3,000 or more. The 21 bulls averaged €4,209.52 and met a 66% clearance rate.

Heifers

There were 14 heifers out of the 18 catalogued presented for sale. The top call went to the female champion, Gortin Nepata P, from the herd of Rodger Gibbons, Lifford, Co Donegal.

Rodger Gibbons with the female champion, Gortin Nepata P, which sold for the highest female price of €3,200. /S. Kinahan

The September 2021-born heifer was sired by Curaheen Gunshot out of a Curaheen Dickens dam and sold for the highest female price of €3,200.

Nepata was followed closely in the polls by the second prize winning, Sunbrae Nora from the herd of Ian Clarke, Rosses Point, Co Sligo.

The August 2021-born heifer was a daughter of Kilbride Farm Escalop out of a Clonagh Direct Debit Dam and sold for €3,100.

Twelve heifers out of the 14 (86%) presented for sale on the day went on to find new homes, with the 12 females selling to an average price of €2,700.

For a full sale report including photographs, make sure to pick up a copy of next week’s Irish Farmers Journal.