The Irish Charolais Cattle Society held its annual spring sale in Tuam Mart on Saturday, 4 May. Home sales led to a smaller sale than anticipated, however there were plenty of good bulls on offer to meet the needs of potential customers.

Topping the trade on the day was Castlewood Uranus ET from the herd of David Kenny from Ballindine, Co Mayo. The January 2023-born bull was sired by Hatenon and he was bred from a Donally New (CF52) dam, Castlewood Martha ET. With a replacement index of -€25 and a terminal index of €140, stars made no difference to this stylish young bull either in the pre-sale show, which is where Co Clare breeder Richard Hackett tapped him forward as a first prize winner, or in the sales ring, where auctioneer Tom Cox dropped the hammer for the sale-topping price of €6,000.

The second highest price of the day came about when Tom Cox dropped the hammer for Maria Calvey’s January 2023-born bull, Caltun Utah. Sired by Glera Oran and bred from a Pirate dam, Caltun Orlaith, the four-star replacement, five-star terminal bull, with an ease-of-calving figure of just 6.2%, sold to a suckler farmer for the second highest price of €4,800.

William Flynn from Newbridge, Co Galway, was next to secure the plaudits at Saturday’s sale with his October 2022-born bull, Tullyvillage Topman. The first prize winner was sired by Scardaune Markand he was bred from a CF52 cow, Tullyvillage Olivia. The hammer fell for this five-star bull at €3,500.

There were five bulls to secure €3,000 on the day, the first of which was Bunnymore Tarzan from the herd of Michael Reynolds from Carrick-on-Shannon, Co Leitrim. The November 2022-born bull was a son of Fiston.

Matt Ryan from Borrisoleigh, Co Tipperary, was the second of this team of five with his January 2023-born Bunratty Mike Tyson son, Kilvilcorris Utah.

Third prize winner Corney Ulf from the herd of David Magee from Ballyconnell, Co Cavan also secured €3,000 on the day. The February 2023-born bull was sired by Hatenon.

Maria Calvey from Co Mayo struck once again in the sales ring, this time her second prize winner, Caltun Ugo. The February 2023-born bull was sired by Clenagh Lyle ET and he was the fourth bull to achieve €3,000.

The final bull to secure €3,000 at Saturday’s sale was Knockinroe16 Ugo from the herd of Declan Bourke from Templemore, Co Tipperary. The February 2023-born bull was sired by CF52.

Overall, the sale saw a 60% clearance rate, with a sale average of €3,445, and the Irish Charolais Cattle Society looks forward to welcoming breeders to the final sale of the spring in Tullamore Mart on 25 May.