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The fifth Lisduff Angus, sale held annually by the McEnroe family, was held in Mid Tipp Mart, Thurles last week with trade failing to reach the highs of the previous year.
The 2017 sale broke all previous sale records with 31 of the 33 bulls selling to average over €3,600. The sale was also set alight by a red Angus bull hitting a top price of €8,000. However, there is a lot of things different compared with this time last year, with the fodder crisis and continued weather woes drastically affecting pedigree sales across the country in 2018.
In line with this the sale took a hit on average, but it was the clearance which was most hampered with just over 50% of bulls forward finding a new home.
While the same buzz was lacking throughout the day's selling, some minor highs were still achieved with bulls selling to a top of €4,500.
The red Angus cattle proved in serious demand in 2017, and while not to the same extent, red bulls again outperformed the blacks. With only 10 red bulls on offer compared with 25 blacks, demand for bulls meant that the average price for reds over blacks levelled at €700. In total six of the 10 forward met trade to average at €3,687.
Leading the way with a top call of €4,500 was Lisduff Red Kath S1466. This August 2016 born bull is sired by stock bull Lanigan Red Krackerjack, sire of last year’s sale topper which was sold to Dovea AI while the dam is UK import Gannon Red Kind Princess. Red Kath carried five stars down the line combined with a calving index of only 1.7%.
The €4,000 price tag was hit four times, with the first again being a red bull. In directly after the sale leader, Lisduff Red Pat S1470 quickly shot up to the 4K mark before being knocked down by auctioneer Tom Cox. Again sired by Lanigan Red Krackerjack, Red Pat is out of Hawkley Red Jim daughter Killanley Red Petal making him a full brother to last year’s €8,000 sale topper. This bull boasted a replacement index of €147 while his calving index was down at only 1.1%.
Lisduff Dovey S1463 was the first of the black Angus to reach the €4,000 mark. Born August 2016, Dovey is out of former reserve all-Ireland junior champion Goulding Jim Dandy while his dam is a Haymount Wessuro daughter. Five stars on the terminal index, this bull held a calving figure of 2%.
Last of the bulls to hit €4,000 was Lisduff Big Boy. This smart March 2017 bull combined a wealth of breeding in his pedigree. Sired by stock bull Mogeely Josh, Big Boy also features Balmachie Rannai and Lisduff Duke in his lineage with his dam’s line going back to the famous Carton-Roe Pauline.
A further six bulls sold between €3,000 and €4,000, with four of these being red Angus. Lot 9 Lisduff Red Lancer S1429 secured his reserve when sold for €3,300. Again sired by the aforementioned stock bull Lanigan Red Krackerjack, he is out Lanigan Red Deep Canyon daughter Luddenmore Red Lass.
Lisduff Red Bomber S1433, a May 2016 born bull sold for the next best of €3,250. Again sired by Red Krackerjack, this five star bull is out of homebred Lisduff Red Bonnie L045.
The same sire was behind the last two red bulls to sell, which sold for €3,200. These twin bulls were out of UK bred Ballavitchel Red Eriksson daughter Craigbeck Red Lucky. Bunlahy Kojack son Lisduff Danielles found a new home at a price tag of €3,100, while Mogeely Josh son Lisduff Powerhouse sold for €3,000.
Altogether 18 of 35 bulls on offer sold to average €3,108, back from the record sale last year which averaged €3,687 but still up over €250 on the 2016 sale.
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