On Saturday, April 24, a sale of pedigree Charolais bulls was held in Tullamore Mart organised through the Irish Charolais Cattle Society.
The sale was held on a day which a lot of farmers would have probably preferred to be taking advantage of sun shine on their home farms.
Nevertheless, the breeding season must also be cared for and customers had 54 bulls out of a catalogue of 89 bulls to choose from - which continues to show how strong home sales are going at the moment through the absence of 35 bulls.
There was a clearance rate of 61% achieved - as bulls averaged €3,546/head.
Speaking with breeders before the sale started on Saturday, the expectations of the trade were slightly higher than what was actually seen on Saturday.
However, comparing this sale to April Charolais sale held in 2019 (due to there being no April 2020 sale), the average was better this year by €248/head - although still keeping in mind that more bulls were entered in the 2019 sale.
Top priced Charolais bulls
Crossmolina Rambo
Being the last bull into the sales ring did not stop Crossmolina Rambo achieving the top price of €8,000 for breeder Alan Wood from Co. Mayo.
This 12-month-old bull is a son of the French sire Berry Mic and out of a home-bred dam sired by Harestone Hercules. One of the herd's most sucessful cows, Crossmolina Bertie, who was a daughter of Doonally New (CF52) was also the grand-dam of this young bull.
Selling with one copy of both the Q204X and the F94L myostatin gene, he was snapped up by Stuart Barclay for his pedigree herd based in Scotland.
Cullimore Ryan
County Mayo breeders continued to achieve the top prices as Thomas Keane from Westport sold Cuillmore Ryan for €6,900.
This son of the well-known Doonally New (CF52) had sires such as Pirate and Enfield Plexus in his maternal back pedigree. He also carries one copy of the Q204X myostatin and rates at €153 on the terminal index. He was purchased by a farmer from Co. Clare.
Brocca Powerful Genetics(et)
John Barry Moran sold his embryo-born bull, Brocca Powerful Genetics (et), for a figure of €6,400.
This 17-month-old son of Domino was a pre-sale favorite for some customers and boasted a terminal figure of €153. He was purchased by a Northern Ireland farmer from Co. Tyrone.
Roughan Phelix 2 and Profit
It was a good day out for Pat McClean from Lifford in Co. Donegal as he sold his two bulls, Roughan Phelix 2 and Roughan Profit for price tags of €5,000.
First into the ring was Roughan Phelix 2, sired by Roughan Dix De Coe and out of a home-bred dam sired by Roughan Galant. This October 2019-born bull is ranked with a terminal index figure of €136 alongside a calving ease figure of +6.9% on matings with beef cows. He was purchased by a farmer from Co. Clare.
Roughan Profit failed to meet his reserve in the sale ring but was sold for the figure of €5,000 outside of the ring. Sired by Roughan Gibraltar, this bull was ranked with a replacement index value of €108 and a terminal index value of €151. Profit moved to his new home in Co. Kilkenny after Saturday's sale.
Kilvilcorris Paddy
A son of Cloverfield Excellent, Kilvilcorris Paddy, exhibited by Matt Ryan sold for a sum of €4,300. This bull was boasting a terminal figure of €162 and he had Doonally New representing him as his maternal grand-sire. Paddy was purchased by a suckler farmer from Ballinasloe in Co. Galway.
Other leading prices included:
- €4,100 for Kilvilcorris Padjo2 sired by Fiston and exhibited by Matt Ryan from Thurles, Co. Tipperary;
- €4,050 for Makief Phil sired by Fiston and exhibited by Derek Woods from Kileshandra, Co. Cavan;
- €4,000 for Crossmolina Royal sired by Doonally New and exhibited by Alan Wood from Crossmolina, Co. Mayo;
- €3,800 for Derryolam Robert sired by Fiston and exhibited by Niall McNally from Carrickmacross, Co. Monaghan;
- €3,800 for Noble Rebel sired by Goldstar Echo and exhibited by Harry Noble from Edgeworthstown, Co. Longford.
