It was a heifer bred in Co. Cavan that took the top price at the Irish Charolais Cattle Society’s Elite Charolais Heifer Show and Sale, which took place at GVM Tullamore Mart in Co. Offaly on Saturday (November 12.
Earlier in the day, the heifer was tapped forward as the Intermediate Champion in the pre-sale show which was judged by David Connolly of the Brigadoon Herd in Northern Ireland.
The top-priced heifer, Aquanchoua Summer ET, sold for €7,500. She was bred by Peter Mc Loughlin from Co. Cavan, but selling the heifer on the day was Shane Maguire from Co. Meath.
Summer is a daughter of the Bova artificial insemination (AI) sire, Hideal, and a CF-52-bred dam. Born in March 2021, Summer carries one copy of the Q204X gene. She sold to Meath man Chris Murray.
The Charolais sale
A total of 115 Charolais heifers were entered into the sale – the largest entry since the event began in 2017.
A smaller number than was catalogued went under auctioneer Tom Cox’s hammer on the day, resulting in a 68% clearance, with the average sale price settling at just over €3,230.
According to the society, more heifers sold at the sale than any other previous year despite trade being described as “sticky” compared to other years by some.
The second-highest price in the sales ring was for Baurnafea Sunrise, from Co. Kilkenny breeder John Bambrick’s farm, who sold for €6,500.
This first-prize winning heifer is a daughter of the herd’s French stockbull Baurnafea Nelson, and a Loulou bred dam.
At just over 17 months old, Sunrise carries an impressive set of indexes along with a calving figure of just 3.9% on beef cows. She was bought by Owen O’ Neill from Co. Carlow.
Trading at €5,600 was the Overall Junior Champion Portnason Suzette, the property of Edward Vaughan from Co. Donegal.
This stylish young heifer is a daughter of the promising AI bull Mornity Nero, and a homebred dam by First.
At just 14 months old, once again, figures were in abundance, along with one copy of the Q204X gene. Andrew Mc Cammond from Northern Ireland had the last call on Suzette.
Up next at €5,300 was Inismurray Skye ET, from Paul Burke in Co. Sligo.
This young heifer is a daughter of Whitecliffe James and the Goldstar Echo-bred cow Liscally Ocean Breeze.
Having been shown successfully this summer, Skye was sold with two copies of the F94L profit gene.
Wrapping her up in the sales ring was Ciaran and Tony O’ Donnell from Co. Roscommon.
The Senior Championship title was awarded to the 20-month-old heifer Breaghwyhill Surprise.
A daughter of Goldstar Ludwig and a Thrunton Bonjovi-bred cow, Surprise was withdrawn from the ring unsold, but later sold to Colm and Louise Quinn’s Ballym Herd for €5,250.
The Burke family was back in the money again, securing €4,300 for their second-prize winner Inismurray Sofie ET.
A full sister to the aforementioned Inismurray Skye, this July 2021-born heifer catalogued with a terminal index of €164 carries one copy of the F94L gene.
Cathal and Thomas Gormley from Co. Roscommon bought Sofie.
Two lots exchanged hands at €4,200, the first of which was Islandview Ruth exhibited by Thomas and Ben Mc Laughlin from Co. Donegal.
This two-year-old heifer is a daughter of Roughan Mischief, a homebred dam by Hideal.
Scanned in-calf to Lapon, Ruth carries one copy of the F94L gene and a has a calving figure of just 4% on beef cows. Snapping this one up was Jimmy Kelly from Co. Limerick.
Also selling at €4,200, from Co. Galway man Mattie Kelly’s farm was Cloughbrack Raisin.
Another daughter of Whitecliffe James, Raisin sold in-calf to the easy-calving French sire Chic. Having the final call here was Alan Quin from Co. Roscommon.
Other leading prices included:
- €4,000 for Crossmolina sky, sired by Pirate and bred by Alan Wood from Co. Mayo;
- €4,000 for Scardaune Samantha, sired by Scardaune Ollie and exhibited by Oliver and Daniel Conway from Co. Mayo;
- €3,800 for Ballynabreen Silver, sired by Thrunton Fairfax and exhibited by John Mc Dermott from Co. Donegal;
- €3,800 for Roscarbon Sunny, sired by Deeleview Major and exhibited by Kevin Scollan from Co. Leitrim.
The society wished all buyers the best of luck with their heifers from Saturday’s sale.
The next Irish Charolais Cattle Society Sale is the Christmas Cracker Bull Sale, which will take place at Elphin Mart, Co. Roscommon, on Saturday, December 3.
The Christmas Cracker has just under 100 bulls cataloged go under the hammer and catalogues will be available on the society’s website from November 22, after the next run of Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) genetic evaluations.