The Irish Aberdeen Angus Association has moved in to its new headquarters at The Loft, N17 Business park on the Galway Road in Tuam, Co. Galway.

Based originally in Mohill, Co. Leitrim, the new offices in Tuam will now act as the main headquarters for all EU Aberdeen Angus registrations, according to the association.

The association was linked with the Aberdeen Angus cattle society in Scotland, however following Brexit the association had to move out on its own.

As Scotland had been registering other EU countries, Ireland has now become the new registry home for these EU countries.

This means that the new Tuam office will be registering the breed’s pedigree cattle from 15 countries in total.

Commenting on the move, the association’s newly appointed breed secretary, Shane Murphy, said: “Tuam acts as an ideal place for us to relocate due to its easily accessible location and vibrant agricultural community.”

“Angus cattle have proved an all-rounder in Ireland for over a hundred years and of late, are the benchmark for processors when it comes to prices.”

According to the association, Angus cattle “top the ranks” with regard to registrations in Ireland with over 400,000 Angus calves born in 2021, making them the beef breed of choice in Ireland.

Continuing, Murphy added: “Since milk quota abolition, numbers of Angus births have risen drastically due to the Angus traits of easy calving, short gestation and a beef product that’s in demand.

“We have also seen a rapid increase in the number of suckler farmers using Angus bulls, particularly in the west.”

Due to this demand, and to mark the new office location, the association has decided that the first sale of 2022 will be held at Tuam Mart on Saturday, April 2.

The sale will consist of pedigree bulls tailored to suit both the suckler farmer and those looking for a bull for dairy cows.

As incentive on the day, the Irish Aberdeen Angus Association and Angus Beef Ireland have put up two €500 vouchers which will go to the buyers of the two bulls sold with highest ranked Terminal Index.

As well as this, the association will launch a new sale with Tullow Livestock Mart on Wednesday, April 20.

This sale will cater mainly for the growing dairy market the southeast has seen in recent years.

In other sale news, the Munster Aberdeen Angus club will return with its sale in Bandon on Wednesday, April 6, and finally, closing off the calendar for Spring 2022 is the Irish Aberdeen Angus Association’s premier sale which returns to Nenagh on Thursday, May 5.

The Bandon, Tullow and Nenagh sales will also see two €500 vouchers awarded to the bulls sold with the highest Dairy Beef Index.