The eighth genetic advantage sale took place in Central Auctions Roscrea over the weekend, reaching a high of €9,500.

The sale is hosted every two years by the Roundhill and Castleview herds and this year included a consignment from the Ballybrown herd.

It was hard to know what way it would go, with a big Limousin dispersal two weeks previous. Howver, it proved to be one of its strongest. All 39 lots forward from the three herds found homes.

The Roundhill herd of Tim, Doreen and Katie Corridan offered 17 heifers, which sold for an average of €3,900, up €400 on the 2018 sale.

Lot 29 Roundhill Nbelladone 1884, which sold for €4,200. \ Tricia Kennedy

This was led by the sale-topper Roundhill Punanime 1945 ET which hit the market at €9,500.

This Elite Ice Cream daughter is out of Roundhill Unamine, the 2014 junior national champion. Born March 2019, Punanime boasted five stars on carcase and docility traits and is described by Doreen as one of the best animals bred in the well-established herd.

Second-top price for the Roundhill herd was a call of €5,400 for lot 26 Roundhill Newtown. Carrying one of the highest replacement indices in the catalogue at €164, this daughter of French maternal programme graduate Grenache is out of a homebred cow by polled bull Hinz. She sold scanned in-calf and due February to the highly rated Kaprico Eravelle.

Castleview herd

The Castleview herd of Sean O’Sullivan had the largest number of animals present, with 20 selling to an average price of €3,400.

Top of his lots was Castleview Precious, which hit the market at €5,300. Sired by outcross bull Hamac, the yearling heifer's pedigree also contained Cerberus, Ramses and Ideal 23.

This heifer also boasted five stars on carcase weight, conformation and docility. In total, 13 of the 20 Castleview heifers sold made €3,000 or more.

Ballybrown Polly, which sold for €5,300. \ Tricia Kennedy

Ballybrown herd

The Ballybrown herd of Bobby O’Connell secured a full sister of the sale-topper at the 2016 sale for €10,000.

One of the first progeny of this full sister, Ballybrown Polly, was offered by O’Connell at last weekend’s sale and secured a price of €5,300.

This April 2019-born heifer was a daughter of Gamin and boasted five stars on most traits.

The second exhibit Ballybrown had as part of the consignment was Ballybrown Nina, which sold for €3,400. This daughter of popular AI bull Castleview Gazelle is out of Elite Forever Brill daughter Roundhill Iondine 1496.

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