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The Irish Angus Cattle Society held its annual elite sale in Carrick on Shannon yesterday.
Autumn pedigree sales have seen really solid trade for top-quality animals and Saturday’s sale was no exception.
The sale attracted a large entry of 63 bulls and 33 heifers, with all animals weighed on entry. With no pre-show sale, the Irish Angus Cattle society streamed the pre-sale parade online on the morning of the sale for prospective purchasers.
The sale was run under strict COVID-19 guidelines, with a limited number of people allowed ringside and the rest online bidding.
There was a notable Northern Irish farmer presence on site, with 17 bulls and heifers exported to NI, almost 20% of the trading.
Top call
The day’s top call went to breeders Francis and Noel Fitzpatrick from Milltown, Belturbet, Co Cavan. Their September 2019-born bull Ernehill Samson attracted a huge amount of interest on the morning of the sale. Samson has a five-star replacement index of €138 and a five-star terminal index of €100 with a calving figure of +0.8%. By Ballymagrine Wonder, a Bohey Jasper son going back to Dmm Distinction on the dam’s side, and out of a homebred dam Ernehill Niamh out of Hf Rebel 53Y, the bull has it all in terms of bloodlines. He was eventually knocked down to Co Clare pedigree breeder Oliver Haugh.
In the heifer section, the top price went to Thomas Mulligan, Currycramp, Dromod, Co Leitrim, for his February 2019-born Clooncarne Savanna. By their famous stock bull Clooncarne Frank and a homebred Baronagh Producer dam, Savana was knocked down at €7,300 to Co Longford breeder Padraig McGivney.
It was a great day’s trading for the Mulligan family, with their three animals selling for €16,000 (average of €5,333/head).
Bulls averaged €3,300, with an 80% clearance and a top price of €,8600.
Heifers averaged €3,150 with a 73% clearance and a top price of €7,300.
For the full sale report check out the pedigree section of next week’s Irish Farmers Journal.
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