The Irish Charolais Cattle Society hosted its premier sale at Elphin Mart, Co. Roscommon, on Saturday, March 18.
According to the society, the sale “will go down as one of the best sales held in Ireland in recent times”.
In total, 45 Charolais bulls sold to a record-breaking average of €5,395, which the society said is the highest average sale price ever achieved at any breed society sale in Ireland.
There was an 87% clearance rate in the bull sale with a strong showing of customers from the UK and Northern Ireland present to boost the trade. Five bulls sold to the UK mainland, and more went to Scotland and Wales.
Bulls topped at €13,000, with heifers selling to €7,600. The small entry of heifers averaged €4,171.
Leading the bull trade at €13,000 was Clenagh2 Sultan, exhibited by the Quinn family from Co. Clare.
Sultan caught the eye of UK judge Steven Nesbitt and was given then Senior Male Championship title. He is a son of the homebred artificial insemination (AI) bull Clenagh Lyle, who was previously a Champion in Elphin.
Sultan sold with a terminal index of €134 and carries one copy of both myostatin genes. Having the final call on the champion was Desmond Graham from Co. Donegal.
Next best at €10,000 was the 12-month-old Heartly Tom ET exhibited by Gene Mc Cann from Co. Westmeath. Awarded the Junior Male Championship title, the bull is a son of the former Paris Champion Neptune, and Doon Janelle, who is a daughter of Glasgow.
He went to sell with a terminal index of €175 and a calving figure of just 6%. Snapping up this one was F H Farming Ltd. from Co. Mayo.
Selling at €8,200 was the third-prize winner from the second class, CMC Samson ET, exhibited by Cian Mc Gloin from Co. Leitrim.
This 17-month-old bull is a son of CF 52 and Macmelvin1 Heidi. Once again, terminal stars were in abundance, coupled with a carcass weight figure of +48.6kg and a calving figure of just 6.8% on beef cows.
He sold to a suckler farmer from Co. Laois. Mc Gloin went on to have a fantastic day, as he followed on from his earlier success with CMC Sambuca ET selling for €6,500. Sambuca is a full ET brother to Samson and sold to Vencent Kearney from Co. Mayo.
Up next at €8,000 was the first-prize winner Noble Styx, who came from Harry Noble from Co. Longford.
The 18-month-old bull is a son of the home-bred AI bull Noble Prince and Noble Nice One, a daughter of Lisnagre Hansome. The Longford-bred bull carries two copies of the profit gene and a terminal index of €143. He sold to David Watson from Banchory, Scotland.
Breaghwyhill Santa ET exhibited by Eamon O’Connor from Co. Sligo claimed the Reserve Junior Champion and went on to sell for €8,000. This classy young bull is a son of the old favourite Oldstone Egbert, and Liscally My Fair Lady 3 ET.
He catalogued with a carcass weight figure of 42.5kg and one copy of both myostatin genes. Santa sold to Innes farms in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.
Trading at €7,800 was Cuillmore Teddy shown by Thomas Keane from Co. Mayo. This quality 14-month-old bull is a son of the popular AI sire Fiston, and a Pirate-bred dam. As his pedigree would suggest, indexes and stars were plentiful, and he has a calving figure of just 5.8% on beef cows. He went to a suckler herd in Co. Westmeath.
The last bull of the day, Tullyvillage Tarbh, romped his way to €7,600. The young 12-month-old bull was following on from his success at last year’s National Calf Show, were he was Junior Male Calf Champion.
Exhibited by William Flynn from Co. Galway, Tarbh is a son of Bova AI sire Cloughbrack Navarone. He sold to Northern Ireland.
At €7,100 was Dalehill Sebastian exhibited by Basil and Victoria Kells from Co. Cavan. This powerful son of the French sire Ocelo goes back to Prime Roberto and CF 52.
He catalogued with one copy of the Q gene and a carcass weight figure of +40.kg. He was sold to Jimmy Cosgrove from Co. Meath.
Gerard Mulligan from Co. Leitrim received a call of €7,000 for Rooskeynamona Sublime sired by the French sire Ocean.
This quality young bull packed a five-star terminal index of €135 and a calving figure of just 4.8% on beef cows. He also carries one copy of the F94L profit gene. He sold to a suckler herd in Northern Ireland.
The Quinn family from Co. Clare were back in the money once again when they realised €6,700 for their second-prize winner, Clenagh Spartacus.
A son of Whitecliffe James, Spartacus packed a whopping terminal index of €171, a calving figure of just 6% on beef cows, and carries two copies of the F94L gene. He went south to Co. Cork.
Michael Grant from Co. Donegal had a fantastic day at the office, selling his three bulls for an average of €5,100.
His best at €6,600 was Maghermore Sylvester ET, a son of Enfield Plexus and a CF 52-bred dam. His stable mate and name sake, Maghermore Sylvester ET hit €4,700.
This one is a son the aforementioned Clenagh Lyle. Wrapping up proceedings for the Donegal men was Maghermore Titan at €4,000, a son of Scardaune Mark.
Other leading prices in the bulls included:
- €6,000 for Tonroe Simon sired by Noble Prince and exhibited by Vincent Callaghan from Co. Mayo;
- €6,000 for Liscally Sportsman ET sired by Cloverfield Excellent and exhibited by Jon Regan from Co. Leitrim;
- €5,800 for Islandview Tom sired by Roughan Miscief and exhibited by Tommy Mc Laughlin from Co. Donegal;
- €5,700 for Tonroe Topgun sired by Goldstar Hugo ET and exhibited by Vincent Callaghan from Co. Mayo;
- €5,400 for Tullaghan Tyson sired by Pottlereagh Mark and exhibited by Michael Daly from Co. Leitrim;
- €5,400 for Whinfort Tyson sired by Cavelands Fenian and exhibited by Geremy Mc Gonigle from Co. Donegal.
Martin Hughes from Co. Monaghan received a sum of €6,400 for Tonyglasson Sunnyboy ET. Having picked up the Reserve Senior Male Championship, Sunnyboy went to the sales ring with a page full of stars and a calving figure of just 5% on beef cows. He is a son of Newhouse Bigal and Lisnagre Gabby ET. Snapping this one up was fellow Monaghan suckler farmer Jason Hughes.
Charolais heifers
In the Charolais heifers, Cloughbrack Sapphire exhibited by Mattie Kelly from Galway clinched the Female Championship title and went on to sell for the top price of €7,600.
A daughter of Knockmoyle10 Loki, Sapphire is an October 2021-born Charolais heifer who goes back to Sportsman Colombo and Bowerhouses Topper. Carrying one copy of both myostatin genes, she was snapped up by Conor Beirne from Co. Roscommon.
The Reserve Female Championship went the way of Bonnavella Tait exhibited by Charolais breeder Martin Killeen from Co. Clare.
Tait went on to sell for €7,000, eventually getting knocked down to Gabriel Donoghue from Co. Galway.
A daughter of Fiston and a CF 52-bred cow, this 13-month-old heifer catalogued with a four-star replacement index of €98, a massive terminal index value of €197, and a calving figure of just 3.9%.
Hitting the €5,000 mark was Blackroad Scarlett for John Culloty from Co. Kerry. A daughter of Lapon and Blackroad Minnie, this 16-month-old heifer picked up a blue rosette in the pre-sale show. Michael Ryan from County Limerick had the last bid on this one.
Donegal breeder Anthony Rabbett parted company with his 23-month-old heifer, Derryvane Sarkle, for a price tag of €4,800.
A daughter of Goldstar Othello and a Lisnagre Elite bred dam, Sarkle sold in calf to Pottlereagh Mark. Ronan Mc Gowan from Rooskey purchased this one.
James Mc Sweeney from Co. Cork traded Rovanagh Sapphire at €4,300. A daughter of Bivouac and a home-bred dam by Goldstar Ludwig, this one displayed plenty of stars as well as a calving figure of just 3.4% on beef cows. Luke Brennan from Co. Sligo was the buyer on this occasion.
The next Irish Charolais Cattle Society sale will take place in Tullamore on Saturday, April 22.