The Munster Aberdeen Angus breeders club and Cork Holstein Friesian club hosted a joint bull sale in Bandon Mart on Thursday with prices rising to €3,200.

Such is the case for many sales across the country, the number of bulls present was well back on what was catalogued.

A total of 12 of the 22 Angus bulls that were catalogued were presented for sale with 16 of the 22 Friesian bulls. This is largely down to the vibrant on-farm trade bull breeders are currently experiencing throughout the country.

Of the 12 Angus bull offered for sale, all but one met trade to average €2,414. Leading the prices at €3,200 was Ashview Lord Hamlet V408 from Billy Fitzgerald, Youghal, Co Cork.

This well-made September 2019-born bull is a son of three-time all-Ireland champion Rosemead Karona with the dam out of Coneyisland Legend.

Fitzgerald’s second exhibit Ashview Derry V405 also hit the upper end of prices when it sold for €2,550. Again September 2019-born, this five-star terminal bull is a son of Mogeely Joe with Wedderlie Blackbox on the dam’s side.

Brian O’Halloran of the Briarhill herd sold three bulls for an average price of over €2,680.

Top of these three bulls was the five-star Briarhill Piper V978. This HW Farghal son is out of a homebred Nightingale El Paso daughter and hit the market at €2,900.

Just behind this, selling for €2,850, was Briarhill Perez V979. This son of Sallowglen Jamie is out of a full sister to the previously mentioned Piper.

Friesian

Following a super IHFA premier last week in Nenagh expectations were high for the Cork sale. However, the same heights weren’t hit. In total, 11 of the 16 bulls forward sold to an average price of €2,314.

Leading the prices in this section was Radney Hasselbaink who sold for €3,100.

Bred and exhibited by Henry and Liam O’Keeffe, this January 2020-born bull was sired by the homebred AI bull Radney Steve. Hasselbaink’s dam is a recipient of the Diamond award having produced over 100,000kg of milk, of which nearly 8,000kg were solids.