It was a new-look catalogue at the Irish Charolais Cattle Society’s first sale of the year at Golden Vale Mart in Tullamore on Saturday, with no Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) Euro-star indices included for the first time in many years.
Some breeders did display their animals’ indices on the gates of their pens.
The exclusion of the indices from the sale catalogues didn’t seem to affect the overall trade, as 25 bulls sold for an average €4,710, resulting in a clearance of 71%.
It must be noted there was a much smaller turnout than expected, as just 35 of the 60 bulls catalogued were presented for sale.
Sale toppers
Trade peaked at €6,700 on two occasions. Securing one of those price tags was the overall junior champion, Derryolam Urla, exhibited by Niall McNally from Co Monaghan.
This flashy October 2023-born bull is a son of the popular Goldstar Echo and the homebred Pacha daughter, Derryolam Epacha.
As well as carrying well below-average calving figures, he offered a nice balance of indices, which includes a five-star replacement index of €101 and a five-star dairy beef index (DBI) of €151. Purchasing Urla for his suckler farm in Co Tipperary was William Rigney.
Ballydownan Unbelievable ET which sold for €6,700, exhibited by Peter Spollen with Peter Spollen Jnr and purchaser Roy Rothwell. \ Tricia Kennedy
Matching Urla at €6,700 was Ballydownan Unbelievable ET brought out by Co Offaly breeder Peter Spollen.
Born in September 2023, this well-made bull is a son of the great CF 52 and the Erckmann-sired daughter Ballydownan Laura ET.
He boasted a five-star terminal index of €166, as well as a five-star DBI of €152, with breed average calving figures on both beef cows and heifers. Roy Rothwell from Co Wexford had the call on this one.
Northern buyer
A suckler farmer from Northern Ireland secured Dalehill Usher shown by Co Cavan breeders Basil and Victoria Kells at €6,100.
This 19-month-old bull is also sired by CF52, while his mother is a daughter of former Paris champion Major.
Despite being low on indices, this powerful bull attracted significant interest in the sales ring before finding a new home in Northern Ireland.
Dalehill Usher which sold for €6,100. \ Tricia Kennedy
Hitting the €6,000 mark was the September 2023-born Tinnegarney Usher ET, the property of Michael McDonald from Co Carlow.
A son of the breed legend Domino, Usher goes back to the famous French cow Victoria.
A single carrier of the Q204X gene, Usher carries a whopping carcase weight figure of +45.3kg and was wrapped up by Co Meath suckler farmer, Jimmy Cosgrave.
Tinnegarney Usher ET which sold for €6,000, exhibited by Michael McDonald. \ Tricia Kennedy
Mayo man William Scanlon also realised €6,000 for his 16-month-old bull Fermoyle Uboya.
Sired by Progressive Genetics' well-known AI bull Lapon, Uboya carries a massive five-star terminal index of €207, as well as below-average calving figures on beef cows and heifers. This single F94L carrier went home with a suckler farmer from Co Laois.
Senior champion
Selling at €5,700 was the overall senior champion exhibited by Co Leitrim breeder Michael Kiernan.
This stylish September 2023-born bull is a son of the former Premier sale champion Noble Prince, while his mother is a daughter of the high-performance UK sire Blelack Digger.
He offered buyers a five-star replacement index of €126, which coincided with below-average calving figures on beef cows and heifers and was knocked down to a suckler farmer from Co Down.
Trading at €5,500 was Louise Quinn’s June 2023-born bull Ballym Universal.
A son of the herd’s impressive French-bred stock bull Ballym Saloup, Universal goes back to a long line of Ballym females on his mother’s side. Auctioneer Tom Cox dropped the hammer on this one to a suckler farmer from Co Westmeath.
Magicien son
Young Westmeath breeder Michael Carey received €5,300 for Chanonstown Ur Magic from a Co Sligo suckler farmer.
This 17-month-old bull is a son of the French AI bull Magicien, while his mother is a daughter of Enfiled Plexus.
Danny Weston from Co Laois also traded at €5,300, selling his reserve junior champion Sliabhbloom Unique.
Born in October 2023, this single Q204X carrier is a son of the easy calving AI bull, Vosgien VF.
Pick up a copy of this week's Irish Farmers Journal to read all about it.
It was a new-look catalogue at the Irish Charolais Cattle Society’s first sale of the year at Golden Vale Mart in Tullamore on Saturday, with no Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) Euro-star indices included for the first time in many years.
Some breeders did display their animals’ indices on the gates of their pens.
The exclusion of the indices from the sale catalogues didn’t seem to affect the overall trade, as 25 bulls sold for an average €4,710, resulting in a clearance of 71%.
It must be noted there was a much smaller turnout than expected, as just 35 of the 60 bulls catalogued were presented for sale.
Sale toppers
Trade peaked at €6,700 on two occasions. Securing one of those price tags was the overall junior champion, Derryolam Urla, exhibited by Niall McNally from Co Monaghan.
This flashy October 2023-born bull is a son of the popular Goldstar Echo and the homebred Pacha daughter, Derryolam Epacha.
As well as carrying well below-average calving figures, he offered a nice balance of indices, which includes a five-star replacement index of €101 and a five-star dairy beef index (DBI) of €151. Purchasing Urla for his suckler farm in Co Tipperary was William Rigney.
Ballydownan Unbelievable ET which sold for €6,700, exhibited by Peter Spollen with Peter Spollen Jnr and purchaser Roy Rothwell. \ Tricia Kennedy
Matching Urla at €6,700 was Ballydownan Unbelievable ET brought out by Co Offaly breeder Peter Spollen.
Born in September 2023, this well-made bull is a son of the great CF 52 and the Erckmann-sired daughter Ballydownan Laura ET.
He boasted a five-star terminal index of €166, as well as a five-star DBI of €152, with breed average calving figures on both beef cows and heifers. Roy Rothwell from Co Wexford had the call on this one.
Northern buyer
A suckler farmer from Northern Ireland secured Dalehill Usher shown by Co Cavan breeders Basil and Victoria Kells at €6,100.
This 19-month-old bull is also sired by CF52, while his mother is a daughter of former Paris champion Major.
Despite being low on indices, this powerful bull attracted significant interest in the sales ring before finding a new home in Northern Ireland.
Dalehill Usher which sold for €6,100. \ Tricia Kennedy
Hitting the €6,000 mark was the September 2023-born Tinnegarney Usher ET, the property of Michael McDonald from Co Carlow.
A son of the breed legend Domino, Usher goes back to the famous French cow Victoria.
A single carrier of the Q204X gene, Usher carries a whopping carcase weight figure of +45.3kg and was wrapped up by Co Meath suckler farmer, Jimmy Cosgrave.
Tinnegarney Usher ET which sold for €6,000, exhibited by Michael McDonald. \ Tricia Kennedy
Mayo man William Scanlon also realised €6,000 for his 16-month-old bull Fermoyle Uboya.
Sired by Progressive Genetics' well-known AI bull Lapon, Uboya carries a massive five-star terminal index of €207, as well as below-average calving figures on beef cows and heifers. This single F94L carrier went home with a suckler farmer from Co Laois.
Senior champion
Selling at €5,700 was the overall senior champion exhibited by Co Leitrim breeder Michael Kiernan.
This stylish September 2023-born bull is a son of the former Premier sale champion Noble Prince, while his mother is a daughter of the high-performance UK sire Blelack Digger.
He offered buyers a five-star replacement index of €126, which coincided with below-average calving figures on beef cows and heifers and was knocked down to a suckler farmer from Co Down.
Trading at €5,500 was Louise Quinn’s June 2023-born bull Ballym Universal.
A son of the herd’s impressive French-bred stock bull Ballym Saloup, Universal goes back to a long line of Ballym females on his mother’s side. Auctioneer Tom Cox dropped the hammer on this one to a suckler farmer from Co Westmeath.
Magicien son
Young Westmeath breeder Michael Carey received €5,300 for Chanonstown Ur Magic from a Co Sligo suckler farmer.
This 17-month-old bull is a son of the French AI bull Magicien, while his mother is a daughter of Enfiled Plexus.
Danny Weston from Co Laois also traded at €5,300, selling his reserve junior champion Sliabhbloom Unique.
Born in October 2023, this single Q204X carrier is a son of the easy calving AI bull, Vosgien VF.
Pick up a copy of this week's Irish Farmers Journal to read all about it.
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