Trade was on fire at the Irish Hereford Breed Society's first sale of the year at Golden Vale Mart in Tullamore on Saturday.

It's been reported as one of the best Hereford sales for some time, with a sale average of €5,039 for 23 bulls sold.

Although the clearance was down on the same sale in 2024, the average sale price was up €1,073.

Taking the top price of the day was the second-prizewinning bull Country Crest Brooks HH, exhibited by Gabriel Hoey from Co Dublin.

Sired by Coralstown Hurricane and out of Ballyaville Jen, this October 2023-born bull went to sale having claimed a number of red rosettes on the show scene last summer.

Full horned and breed average for most traits, Brooks caught the eye of Ciaran Kerr, who secured him at €8,600 for his pedigree herd based in Northern Ireland.

Balleen duo

Next best at €7,500 was Balleen Thunderstruck from the herd of Tom Brennan in Co Kilkenny.

A first-prizewinner in his class, Thunderstruck is a son of the herd's stock bull Ballinveney United 2, while his mother is a homebred daughter of Balleen Achiever.

He cataloged with a five-star replacement index of €124 and a beef sub-index of €102. Snapping this one up were Robert and Edwin Jones for their Keenagh pedigree herd based in Co Longford.

Balleen Thunderstruck, which sold for €7,500. \ Tricia Kennedy

Hot on his heels was his stable mate and the reserve overall champion Balleen Some Machine, who went under the hammer at €7,400.

Born in October 2023, he is another son of Ballinveney United 2, this time going back to a Towra Brilliant-bred dam.

Once again, stars were in abundance, as he displayed a DBI of €120 and a beef sub-index of €117. He will now join Dovea Genetics' AI stud in Co Tipperary.

Heterozygous polled

Two bulls traded at €7,200. The first to do so was the July 2023-born bull Corlismorepoll 1 Fortunate 246 from the herd of Sean McKiernan in Co Cavan.

This heterozygous polled bull is sired by Corlismorepoll 1 Declan 173 and out of the Corlismore General 700 daughter Boycefield Louisa 32nd.

Dark in color, he offered a five-star DBI of €117, as well as a five-star terminal index of €79 and was the pick of Vincent Kelly from Co Monaghan.

Also hitting €7,200 was the youngest bull on the day Moyclare Xzander HH, brought out by Co Offaly breeder Michael Molloy. Sired by the impressive Caislean Jake, this 13-month-old bull is full horned and displayed a nice balance of indices, which included a five-star carcase weight figure of +14.6kg, which coincided with a DBI of €132.

He was snapped up by a herd in Co Cork.

Pick up next week's Irish Farmers Journal to read the full report from Saturday's sale.