The Irish Limousin Cattle Society hosted its final autumn pedigree sale of 2022 last Saturday (December 10) at Athenry Co-operative Livestock Mart in Co. Galway.
A total of 22 of the 31 bulls catalogued were presented for sale on the day, with bulls finding new homes in counties Galway; Meath; Carlow; Cavan; Westmeath; Mayo; and Clare.
According to a statement from the society, demand was good for the quality bulls on offer, leading to a clearance rate of 64% and an average sale price of €3,364 for the bulls that passed through the ring.
The judge on the day was Co. Kilkenny-based Limousin breeder Sean Maher who kicked off proceedings at 10:00a.m. The auctioneer on the day was George Candler who began selling at 12:00p.m.
Maher awarded the Overall Show Champion to a bull belonging to Teleri Thomas from Co. Meath. Her bull Keltic Shadow is a May 2021-born bull carrying five stars on both the replacement and terminal Index.
Sired by Keltic Handsome and out of Cwmpedran Cassandra, the bull sold for €4,600 – which was the top price on the day.
The Reserve Champion rosette was placed on Ballinascraw Superstar bred by John and Stephen Lynch from Co. Longford.
Sired by Gorrycam Notorious, this April 2021-born bull went under the hammer for €3,600.
The €4,000 price mark was met or surpassed on five occasions at the sale.
Mayo-based breeder Michael McKeown sold Currance Smokey, a Mereside Godolphin son, for €4,100.
Carrying four stars on the replacement and terminal index, this bull has a calving difficulty of 4.5% on beef cows and was a second-prize winner in his class.
An April 2021-born bull went under the hammer for €4,000; Bovinion Slick was bred by Galway native Thomas Finnerty.
Slick is an Ewdenvale Ivor son that carries all the stars on both the replacement and terminal indexes.
€4,000 was achieved again, this time by Teleri Thomas and her bull, Keltic Sion. Sion is a son of Loyal out of a Tomschoice Ironstone-sired dam.
Born in April 2021, Sion carries five stars on the replacement and terminal index.
John and Stephen Lynch also secured €4,000 for their bull, Ballinascraw Simba. Born in May 2021, the Lodge Hamlet son was bred from a Hatcliffe Dancer-sired cow.
Simba carries four stars on the replacement index and five stars on the terminal index.
Other noticeable prices on the day included €3,400, again for Teleri Thomas and her Loyal-sired bull, Keltic Sior.
€3,100 was paid for John Flannagan’s bull, Lochanboy Shepard, while Patrick Mulconroy secured €3,000 for his Moondharrig Knell-sired bull, Maghera Saint.
Other prices from the sale:
Price Exhibitor Animal Sire Dam €2,800 Sean Vahey Carrowclogher Spartacus Neuf Glebe Park Ita €2,800 Anthony Glynn Glencarrigh Sonny EBY Glencarrigh Mags €2,700 Michael McKeown Currane Sugar Plumtree Fantastic Currane Mia €2,500 Sean Vahey Carrowclogher Supreme Ampertaine Elgin Carrowclogher Lady Lucy ET €2,500 Martin Sean Donagher Coolcholly Sam Noob Coolcholly Lucia
The society congratulated all breeders and thanked all under-bidders before wishing all successful purchasers the best of luck with their new purchases.
The society also thanked Athenry Mart and the Limousin council stewards for their help on the day.