A number of Aubrac cattle that won rosettes at the Tullamore Show and FBD National Livestock Show in summer 2022 are being offered in an online production sale this weekend.
PJ McGrath and Kelly Stephenson, based near Stratford-on-Slaney, Co. Wicklow, are hosting their first Aubrac production sale of their Glenford Aubrac herd this weekend.
The sale is taking place via timed auction on MartEye in association with Mid Tipperary Co-Operative Livestock Mart, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.
The timed auction got underway on Friday (March 31) and will draw to a close this evening, Sunday (April 2).
A total of 11 heifers and six bulls are on offer in the production sale and speaking to Agriland, PJ said all of the heifers are offered in the sale, “including our 2022 Aubrac show team”.
“Three of the six bulls on offer in the sale have a Dairy Beef Index (DBI) of over €150 and all bulls have a DBI of over €110,” he added.
“The heifers on offer in the sale have suberb breeding behind them and are bred off the cows such as the Tullamore Supreme Champion in 2015, Glencara Isla and the Reserve Tullamore champion 2016, Altamont Honey.
“Included in this sale are two heifers that won their respective classes at the Tullamore Show this year.”
Commenting on the breed, PJ said: “The Aubrac bulls are the up-and-coming beef genetics for use on dairy cows and we have seen this in the latest Irish Cattle Breeding Federation’s DBI breed percentiles.
“The Aubrac bull produces a great calf for beef production, even when used on a dairy dam. They’re basically like a continental Angus and they’re easier fleshed than the more common continental breeds.”
PJ first got into producing pedigree Aubrac cattle when he purchased an Aubrac bull to use on his dairy cows.
He said he was so impressed with the bull’s performance that he decided to develop a small herd of pedigree Aubrac cows alongside his existing pedigree Limousin herd.
Potential buyers can check out the lots on the MartEye app or visit the Glenford Pedigree Livestock Facebook page to find out more information.