The Irish Parthenaise Cattle Society hosted its inaugural Premier Sale at Tullow Mart, Co. Carlow on Thursday, September 30.
The sale consisted of working cows with calves at foot, in-calf cows and heifers, as well as maiden heifers and a selection of breeding bulls.
While the sale consisted primarily of pedigree Parthenaise cattle, there was a number of commercial Parthenaise cattle at the sale also.
The sale took place in the evening and according to the organisers, this proved a popular attraction, with breeders from all corners of Ireland and the UK viewing the sale.
Leading the prices at €3,900 was Kyle Herd May and her heifer calf at foot Kyle Herd Sinita.
This four-year-old cow is a daughter of Aioli with Azimut on the dam’s side. Her late May-born heifer calf Sinita is by stock bull Kilmannon Nitro. Both were bred by Wexford breeder Paddy Doyle who also sold the eight-year-old Kilkeenbrack Iris at €3,700.
The first pedigree lot into the ring, this fully French-bred cow is out of Bolide and cow Argentee. She sold with her June-born heifer calf Kyle Herd Sherry at foot, who was again sired by the aforementioned Kilmannon Nitro.
Gerard Harney was next in line when he sold his cow and calf at €3,150.
The three-year-old cow, Lisnagranchy Nectar, is sired by Kilgulbin Kimble and she sold with her Longford Oscar-sired heifer calf which was born in March of this year.
A price of €2,400 was hit on two occasions for in-calf heifers. First at the money was Monfin Paula from the breeder Alaster Swift, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford.
This March 2019-born heifer is home-bred on both sides with the sire Monfin Lorry and the dam Monfin Kayklipse.
The heifer is four stars on the replacement index and is due in early February to Minmore Nuisance.
Matching the price was Keelties Nicole from Kerry breeder Dermot O’Brien. Born November 2018, this Wingfield Jordan daughter is out of a homebred dam by Oural. Genotyped four stars on the replacement index, she sold in-calf to A Ta Sante.
Just behind this and securing a price of €2,350 was Drumgoold Polly. Bred by the society chairman Paddy Kavanagh, this April 2019-born heifer is a daughter of Fausset and out of a Coquin-bred dam. Five stars on a number of traits, the heifer is due in December to Legend.
Maiden heifers peaked at a price of €1,950 for Longford Rosie Marie. This March 2020-born heifer is sired by French bull Implosif and out of Longford Martina, and is a Meadowridge Jupitar daughter. Bred by Galway breeder Niall Stoddart, she carried four stars on the replacement index.
Next in line was the one-month-old Blackstairs Rose who hit the market at €1,900. This Legend-sired heifer is out of a Vulain-bred dam and boasted five stars on the replacement index.
Leading the way in the in-calf cow section was Kyle Herd Heidi. This powerful nine-year-old cow is out of a French sire and dam.
The sire is Azimut while the dam is Turbo daughter Camelia. This five-star cow sold three months in-calf carrying a heifer by Kilmannon Nitro.
A small number of breeding bulls was offered for sale, with a top price of €2,250 received for AJ’s Picasso.
Bred by Roscommon breeder Daire Markham, this well-made bull was born in November 2019 and sold with below average calving difficulty figures. Sired by Benassay, he sold having already served cows.
Speaking after the sale, society chairman Paddy Kavanagh said: “Irish Parthenaise stock have always been in demand hence why it’s taken so long to hold this premier sale. It’s now hoped that this sale can continue on an annual basis”.