Auctioneer Francis McGowan barely got a chance to take breath at the showgrounds in Carrick-on-Shannon on Saturday, as he oversaw a roaring trade for Angus cattle from the rostrum.
A bustling ringside witnessed 53 Angus bulls sell for an average of €4,295, with a 92% clearance rate, and the first 35 bulls through the ring finding new homes.
Selling for the top price on the day at €10,700 was the 13-month-old Drumcrow Armageddon, from the herd of Margaret McKiernan in Co Cavan.
Described as one of the best bulls ever bred in the herd, he is a son of the herd’s stock bull, HW Abacus, while his mother Drumcrow Sunlight is a daughter of the formidable AI sire, HF Rebel.
High-index bull
A first prize winner in his class, he displayed a tremendous set of indices, which included a replacement index of €172 and will now join the National Cattle Breeding Centre in Co Kildare.
In what was a memorable day for the McKiernan family, the Drumcrow herd also achieved the next-highest price of €8,400 for Drumcrow Putins Rage.
Drumcrow Putins Rage which sold for the second-highest price of €8,400. \ Tricia Kennedy
Again, just 13 months old, this young bull is also sired by HW Abacus, this time out of a Drumcrow Joker-bred dam.
Having picked up a red rosette in the pre-sale show, he went to auction with a well rounded set of indices, which coincided with below-breed average calving figures and was knocked down to Power Livestock in Co Limerick.
Millbawn Wylder ET from the herd of Amanda Bogan in Co Longford was next best in the bulls at €7,200. This September 2023-born bull is a son of Rawburn Jagger Eric R094, while his mother Millbawn Nancy is a daughter of Cudlobe Millennium 12M.
He packed a decorative set of stars as well as some attractive calving ease figures across beef and dairy. Having the last call on him was a herd in Co Tyrone.
Mulligan family
Tom Mulligan and family from Dromod in Co Leitrim received a sum of €7,000 for their April 2024-born bull, Clooncarne Artist. Sired by their successful stock bull, Knockmountagh Robert, Artist is out of a Lisacaran Victor J112-bred cow. He displayed a massive dairy beef index (DBI) of €155 along with a calving ease figure of 5.2% on dairy heifers and was snapped up by a farmer from Boyle in Co Sligo.
Co Cavan breeder Niall Conaty parted company with his 13-month-old bull, Ellens Anthony, at €6,900. A son of Drumcrow Reeko and a homebred dam by Intelagri Matteo, this high-index young bull stood second in his class and caught the eye of Seamus Nagle who runs the Bullbank AI company in Co Clare.
Laheens Alisder ET
The Duignan family from Eslin Bridge in Co Leitrim were next best at €6,700, with Laheens Alisder ET. This well-made bull was born in February 2024 and is a son of Fordel Lockdown and Laheens Daisy L343. Robinson Farm Limited in Co Westmeath was the buyer on this occasion.
Laheens Daisy Y580 which sold for €8,000, shown by breeders Cormac and Cathal Duignan. \ Alfie Shaw
Shane Mc Kiernan from Co Cavan picked up the reserve championship in the presale show with Drumcarbin A437 Leatol Weapon. Another son of Drumcrow Reeko, this January 2024-born bull goes back to a Rawburn Boss Hogg bred cow and carries five-star terminal and DBI indices. Local man Paddy Farrell wrapped him up at €6,300 for his Sheemore herd.
Realising €5,600 was another Cavan native, Alison Sheridan, with Huntsgrove Arthur. Born in February 2024, Arthur is a son of Prohurst Eoghan W759 and a HW Farghal-bred dam. Once again, he offered buyers a nice balance of indices, satisfying the requirements of the dairy and suckler schemes.
Judge
Judge Joe Moran from Co Kilkenny tapped forward Troyswood Anthony as his overall champion exhibited by Seamus Neary, who went on to sell for €5,500.
A son of Liss Brendan, he goes back to a homebred dam by Netherton Americano.
Seamus Prior from Co Leitrim matched that price of €5,500 with Borrough Wizard, a son of Drumcrow Tribesman out of a HW Farghal-bred cow.
Female champion
Trade was just as buoyant for Angus heifers, with a top call of €8,000 for two lots.
The first of which was the overall female champion Loughglass Willow exhibited by Noel and Lisa Dowd from Co Galway.
Loughglass Willow, female champion which sold for €8,000, shown by Derek Maxwell, Lisa Maxwell, Erin Maxwell and Noel Dowd. \ Tricia Kennedy
Having turned two years old in February, this Fordel Lockdown daughter went to sale scanned in calf to Keirsbeath Karma and was purchased by Martin O’Connor from Co Roscommon.
Matching her at the same money was the reserve champion Laheens Daisy Y580 exhibited by the Duignan family from Eslin Bridge in Co Leitrim.
This well-bred heifer is a daughter of HW Farghal and goes back to one of the herd’s most successful cow lines. Gigginstown Angus added her to their well-established herd in Co Westmeath.
Overall, 10 out of the 16 Angus heifers on offer found new homes, selling for an average of €4,210.
Shorthorns
In the Shorthorns section, a top price of €4,700 was paid by Thomas Moffatt from Co Roscommon for Glannview Breeze (RO) (H).
Glannview Breeze (RO) (H) which sold for €4,700, exhibited by Adrian Flatley. \ Tricia Kennedy
The property of Kieran Flatley from Co Mayo, Breeze just turned one-year-old and is a son of Bethlehem Breeze (Dro). He enjoyed an exciting year on the show scene last summer, picking up the all Ireland junior male calf championship at Strokestown.
Thomas Gormley achieved the highest price for a Shorthorn heifer with Elphin Daisy 827 at €3,150.
This young 11-month-old heifer is a daughter of Chapelton Pioneer and carries one copy of the E226X gene.
Shorthorn bulls averaged €2,933, while the heifers averaged €2,467.
A small entry of Hereford bulls saw a top price of €3,000 for Lisnanean Casper brought out by Benny Mulreannan from Co Roscommon.
Auctioneer Francis McGowan barely got a chance to take breath at the showgrounds in Carrick-on-Shannon on Saturday, as he oversaw a roaring trade for Angus cattle from the rostrum.
A bustling ringside witnessed 53 Angus bulls sell for an average of €4,295, with a 92% clearance rate, and the first 35 bulls through the ring finding new homes.
Selling for the top price on the day at €10,700 was the 13-month-old Drumcrow Armageddon, from the herd of Margaret McKiernan in Co Cavan.
Described as one of the best bulls ever bred in the herd, he is a son of the herd’s stock bull, HW Abacus, while his mother Drumcrow Sunlight is a daughter of the formidable AI sire, HF Rebel.
High-index bull
A first prize winner in his class, he displayed a tremendous set of indices, which included a replacement index of €172 and will now join the National Cattle Breeding Centre in Co Kildare.
In what was a memorable day for the McKiernan family, the Drumcrow herd also achieved the next-highest price of €8,400 for Drumcrow Putins Rage.
Drumcrow Putins Rage which sold for the second-highest price of €8,400. \ Tricia Kennedy
Again, just 13 months old, this young bull is also sired by HW Abacus, this time out of a Drumcrow Joker-bred dam.
Having picked up a red rosette in the pre-sale show, he went to auction with a well rounded set of indices, which coincided with below-breed average calving figures and was knocked down to Power Livestock in Co Limerick.
Millbawn Wylder ET from the herd of Amanda Bogan in Co Longford was next best in the bulls at €7,200. This September 2023-born bull is a son of Rawburn Jagger Eric R094, while his mother Millbawn Nancy is a daughter of Cudlobe Millennium 12M.
He packed a decorative set of stars as well as some attractive calving ease figures across beef and dairy. Having the last call on him was a herd in Co Tyrone.
Mulligan family
Tom Mulligan and family from Dromod in Co Leitrim received a sum of €7,000 for their April 2024-born bull, Clooncarne Artist. Sired by their successful stock bull, Knockmountagh Robert, Artist is out of a Lisacaran Victor J112-bred cow. He displayed a massive dairy beef index (DBI) of €155 along with a calving ease figure of 5.2% on dairy heifers and was snapped up by a farmer from Boyle in Co Sligo.
Co Cavan breeder Niall Conaty parted company with his 13-month-old bull, Ellens Anthony, at €6,900. A son of Drumcrow Reeko and a homebred dam by Intelagri Matteo, this high-index young bull stood second in his class and caught the eye of Seamus Nagle who runs the Bullbank AI company in Co Clare.
Laheens Alisder ET
The Duignan family from Eslin Bridge in Co Leitrim were next best at €6,700, with Laheens Alisder ET. This well-made bull was born in February 2024 and is a son of Fordel Lockdown and Laheens Daisy L343. Robinson Farm Limited in Co Westmeath was the buyer on this occasion.
Laheens Daisy Y580 which sold for €8,000, shown by breeders Cormac and Cathal Duignan. \ Alfie Shaw
Shane Mc Kiernan from Co Cavan picked up the reserve championship in the presale show with Drumcarbin A437 Leatol Weapon. Another son of Drumcrow Reeko, this January 2024-born bull goes back to a Rawburn Boss Hogg bred cow and carries five-star terminal and DBI indices. Local man Paddy Farrell wrapped him up at €6,300 for his Sheemore herd.
Realising €5,600 was another Cavan native, Alison Sheridan, with Huntsgrove Arthur. Born in February 2024, Arthur is a son of Prohurst Eoghan W759 and a HW Farghal-bred dam. Once again, he offered buyers a nice balance of indices, satisfying the requirements of the dairy and suckler schemes.
Judge
Judge Joe Moran from Co Kilkenny tapped forward Troyswood Anthony as his overall champion exhibited by Seamus Neary, who went on to sell for €5,500.
A son of Liss Brendan, he goes back to a homebred dam by Netherton Americano.
Seamus Prior from Co Leitrim matched that price of €5,500 with Borrough Wizard, a son of Drumcrow Tribesman out of a HW Farghal-bred cow.
Female champion
Trade was just as buoyant for Angus heifers, with a top call of €8,000 for two lots.
The first of which was the overall female champion Loughglass Willow exhibited by Noel and Lisa Dowd from Co Galway.
Loughglass Willow, female champion which sold for €8,000, shown by Derek Maxwell, Lisa Maxwell, Erin Maxwell and Noel Dowd. \ Tricia Kennedy
Having turned two years old in February, this Fordel Lockdown daughter went to sale scanned in calf to Keirsbeath Karma and was purchased by Martin O’Connor from Co Roscommon.
Matching her at the same money was the reserve champion Laheens Daisy Y580 exhibited by the Duignan family from Eslin Bridge in Co Leitrim.
This well-bred heifer is a daughter of HW Farghal and goes back to one of the herd’s most successful cow lines. Gigginstown Angus added her to their well-established herd in Co Westmeath.
Overall, 10 out of the 16 Angus heifers on offer found new homes, selling for an average of €4,210.
Shorthorns
In the Shorthorns section, a top price of €4,700 was paid by Thomas Moffatt from Co Roscommon for Glannview Breeze (RO) (H).
Glannview Breeze (RO) (H) which sold for €4,700, exhibited by Adrian Flatley. \ Tricia Kennedy
The property of Kieran Flatley from Co Mayo, Breeze just turned one-year-old and is a son of Bethlehem Breeze (Dro). He enjoyed an exciting year on the show scene last summer, picking up the all Ireland junior male calf championship at Strokestown.
Thomas Gormley achieved the highest price for a Shorthorn heifer with Elphin Daisy 827 at €3,150.
This young 11-month-old heifer is a daughter of Chapelton Pioneer and carries one copy of the E226X gene.
Shorthorn bulls averaged €2,933, while the heifers averaged €2,467.
A small entry of Hereford bulls saw a top price of €3,000 for Lisnanean Casper brought out by Benny Mulreannan from Co Roscommon.
This is a subscriber-only article
SHARING OPTIONS: