The Irish Holstein Friesian Association (IHFA) held its 49th annual Premier Bull Show and Sale on Wednesday, March 27 at the Kilmallock Mart in Co. Limerick.
This year saw the addition of a premier heifer sale with 62 heifers catalogued, and with 57 put forward on the day for sale.
There were 16 bulls on offer as part of the Premier bull sale with 12 lots being sold.
Premier bull sale
The top price of the premier bull sale and Junior Champion in the pre-sale show went to Lot 13: Radney Kentucky, who is sired by Gortcreen Sebastian and was sold by Henry O’Keeffe – he sold for €4,800.
He has an economic breeding index (EBI) of €276, with a milk sub-index of €105 and a fertility sub-index of €121.
Within the milk sub-index, he is +257kg of milk, +20.72kg (0.18%) of fat, +14.47kg (0.10%) of protein.
The second highest price of the sale went to Lot 9: Radney Alaska, he is sired by Saintbrigid Frank Joseph and was sold by Henry O’Keeffe – he sold for €4,700.
He has an EBI of €282, with a milk sub-index of €91 and a fertility sub-index of €114.
Within the milk sub-index he is +74kg of milk, +16.05kg (0.23%) of fat, +10.9kg (0.14%) of protein.
The third price bull went to Lot 6: Monamore Runway, he is sired by Tisaxon Trooper, sold by James and Thomas Kelly from the Monamore herd – he sold for €4,200.
He is sired by has an EBI of €261, with a milk sub-index of €79 and a fertility sub-index of €133.
Within the milk sub-index, he is +302kg of milk, +12.78kg (0.02%) of fat, +13.59kg (0.06%) of protein.
The pre-sale Champion bull selected by judge Rickey Barrett at the IHFA 49th annual show and sale was Mountfarna Gulliver from John O’Callaghan Mountfarna herd – he sold for €4,000.
He is sired by Welcome Silver Griff-Et and is backed by seven generations of EX/VG cows, he is the maternal brother to last year’s champion, Mountfarna Gulliver.
Within the milk sub-index he is +607kg of milk, +22.54kg (-0.02%) of fat, +17.3kg (-0.06%) of protein.
Selling for €3,600 was Lot 7: Monamore Quentin, sired by Sandy-Valley Challenger he has an EBI of €207, with a milk sub-index of €88 and a fertility sub-index of €92.
Within the milk sub-index he is +322kg of milk, +21.41kg (0.15%) of fat, + 12.37kg (0.02%) of protein.
Reserve Champion went to Monamore Exhibit from James and Thomas Kelly’s Monamore herd – he sold for €3,300.
He is sired by Westcoast Yamaska has an EBI of €223, with a milk sub-index of €89 and a fertility sub-index of €91.
Within the milk sub-index, he is +221kg of milk, + 14.61kg (0.10%) of fat, + 13.3kg (0.10%) of protein.
Some more prices from the bulls can be seen in the gallery below:
Heifer sale
Topping the trade at the IHFA’s show and sale in the heifer section and the pre-sale Champion was Lot the 19: Lisnalty Artist Zandra, sired by Stone-Front Artist-Et and was sold by Paul Hannon – she sold for €4,150.
In her first lactation she is projected to produce 9,165kg of milk, with fat of 3.86% and protein of 3.18% in a 305-day lactation.
Her dam Woodmarsh Mogul Zandra 2 (Ex91) produced 10,816 kg of milk in her fourth lactation, with fat of 4.26% and protein of 3.15% in a 305 day lactation.
The second highest price went to Lot 24: Barna Pepper Archie, with the proceeds being donated to Milford Hospice.
The Delaberge Pepper sired heifer from the McNamara family sold for €2,600.
She was the pre-sale reserve champion heifer and has an EBI of €140.
Her dam Barna Archie Grey produced 9,129kg of milk in her third lactation, with fat of 4.24% and protein of 3.37% in a 305-day lactation.
The third highest price went to Lot 37: Clondrohid Syracuse Lila, sired by De-Su Syracuse – sold for €2,400.
Her dam Clonrohid Art Lila (VG86) produced 8,529kg of milk in her fifth lactation, with fat of 3.89% and protein of 3.68% in a 305-day lactation.
Fourth highest price went to Lot 38: Clonrohid Cade Lila, sired by Fly-Higher Mod Cade-Et – sold for €2,400.
Her dam Clonrohid Romeo Lila (GP83) produced 7,217kg of milk in her second lactation, with fat of 4.62% and protein of 3.92% in a 305-day lactation.
Fifth highest price went to Lot 28: Barna Punch Jill 2, sired by Roylane Boxer Punch – sold for €2,250
Her dam Barna Jill Grey 4311-Et (VG89) produced 8,875kg of milk in her fourth lactation, with fat of 4.34% and protein of 3.39% in a 305 day lactation.
Sixth highest price went to Lot 41: Adrivale Components Dana 2491, sired by Ballinard Components – sold for €2,200
Her dam Adrivale Lightning Dana 1976 produced 7,106kg of milk in her fourth lactation, with fat of 4.49% and protein of 3.42% in a 305-day lactation.
Some more price from the heifers can be seen in the gallery below: