The Irish Aubrac Cattle Society hosted its spring premier on Saturday in Tullamore, with strong demand across all sections.

While prices didn’t reach the same highs as the autumn premier, which recorded an all-time record price of €4,350, prices did sail past €3,000 on a number of occasions.

Top price over the weekend was €3,600, which was achieved by the youngest bull on show, Cahergal Prince.

This 13-month-old bull was bred and exhibited by Sonny and Margaret Jennings from Tuam, Co Galway, and was secured by fellow Galway breeder Martin Curran.

Sired by stock bull Turloughmore Master, the stylish young bull is out of Merville Brutus-bred dam Ballinclea Gisele.

Ranking five stars on the replacement index and three on the terminal, Prince sold with a calving figure of 2.8% on beef cows.

Second-top price

Taking the second-top male price of €3,150 was Johnstown Orlando 0083 from the herd of Francis and Jennifer Donohoe, Mullingar, Co Westmeath.

This double-five-star bull turned two years old in March.

Sired by French imported bull Invincible, he is out of Rockhill Coop-sired dam Hazelwood Flora. This one headed north of the border to Alexander McConaghy.

More Galway success

Securing a bid of €2,950 was Turloughmore Pat. This January 2020-born bull also comes from Co Galway, this time from breeder Kevin O’Brien, Athenry.

Sired by the homebred Turloughmore Number One, he is out of a Dolby-bred cow that goes back to Rockhill Urbano.

Boasting four stars on the replacement index and with a calving figure of 1.2%, Pat also heads back west to purchaser Melia Brisco.

Last of the upper end bull prices was €2,850 which was paid out for Ashbrook Olly.

Bred and exhibited by Michael Hanlon, Co Longford, this two-year-old bull is sired by the popular Dauphin, with Armenien on the dam’s side.

This bull carried four stars on the replacement index and a beef cow calving figure of just 0.7%.

Overall, nine of the 13 bulls in attendance sold for an average price of over €2,600.

Heifers

On the female front, the first batch through the ring was five lots of cows with calves at foot from the previously mentioned Johnstown herd of Francis and Jennifer Donohoe.

These five lots sold for an average price just shy of €3,000 to a high of €3,350.

Securing the top price was Johnstown Lauren 455 with her six-week-old heifer calf Johnstown Rosemarie at foot.

This March 2016-born cow boasted five stars down the line and is sired by the aforementioned French bull Invincible.

Second-best of the Johnstown cow and calf outfits was Johnstown Lauren 843.

This September 2016-born cow also sold with a six-week-old heifer calf at foot.

Sired by Capitain, she is out of a homebred Mourgues Ultra dam. Carrying four stars on the replacement index, she was knocked down at €3,100.

Hitting €3,000

Hitting €3,000 was Johnstown Lauren 1303 with her March-born heifer calf.

This four-year-old cow was also sired by Capitain, this time with Despagnou on the dam’s side. She sold with a replacement index of €156.

Top-priced heifer of the sale was realised by Roscommon breeder Eugene Flanagan for Driminagh Orla.

Born in June 2019, Orla is a daughter of Bran Coillchroi Leah, with Dolby and Armenien also in the back breeding.

Sold expected to calve in July to Drimnagh Oliver, she hit the market at €2,720.

Two of the three maiden heifers present on the day sold for an average price of €1,425.