The Irish Limousin Cattle Society’s autumn premier show and sale took place at Roscrea Mart on Saturday (November 5).
Showing of livestock kicked off at 9:30a.m and the show classes consisted of a junior and senior male and female championship.
Judging the livestock on show was UK-based Chris Neale who runs the Nealford Limousins.
After the show had wrapped up, auctioneer George Candler got the sale of 65 bulls and 22 heifers underway.
Continuing on the success of the society’s 2022 spring sales campaigns, there was a noticeable interest in the strong beef bulls that were presented for sale on the day, leading to an average sale price of €4,135 in the male section.
Additionally, there was a keen demand for the females, which led to an average price paid of €3,490 and an overall clearance rate of 70% – including the bulls and heifers.
In terms buyer locations, a large geographical spread was achieved, with bulls being exported to Northern Ireland and many more finding homes in the west, midlands and south of the country.
The bull classes
Gareth McGuinness’ Creenagh Rocko, a November-2020 born bull, took home the Senior Male Championship title. This bull was bred by Joe Logan, sired by Mereside Godolphin out of the dam Creenagh Jill.
Rocko carries four stars on the Replacement Index and five-stars on the Terminal Index.
The impressive bull was crowned National Senior Male Champion at Tullamore this year and sold for the joint top price of €9,000 on the day. Rocko’s new home is a farm based in Co. Antrim.
The Reserve Senior Champion was awarded to Lot 7, Killcastle Saturno ET, a February-2021 born Ronick Hawk son.
Saturno was bred by Westmeath-based breeders, A and P Kelly. Out of the dam Killcastle Marilyn Monique ET, he carries four-stars on both the replacement and terminal indexes.
The bull, who was a first-prize-winning senior bull at the recent 50th Anniversary Extravaganza in Carrick-on-Shannon, headed for his new home in Co. Kerry at a price of €9,000.
Turning to the Junior Male Championship, Darragh O’Meara secured the champion award with his bull Hurricane Scat Man ET.
The September-2021 born bull was sired by Ampertaine Foreman and carries four-stars on the Replacement Index and five-stars on the Terminal Index.
Bred from Hurricane Lady Hawk ET, an Ampertaine Elgin daughter, he won numerous champion and Interbreed champion awards on the show circuit this summer, while also taking home the Reserve Senior Champion in Tullamore in August. This bull made €6,400 in the sale ring on the day.
Co. Meath-based breeder Eddie Daly secured the Reserve Junior Champion award for his bull, Clonmahon Spartacus ET.
Born in July 2021 with plenty of shape and power, he carries four-stars on the Replacement Index and five-stars on the Terminal Index.
Sired by Ampertaine Foreman out of the dam Bremore Goldielocks, he sold for €4,000 to a buyer from Co. Clare.
The heifer classes
In the female classes, the overall champion title was awarded to Thomas O’Shea for his heifer Templequain Sheeba.
This September-2021 born Ampertaine Foreman daughter carries four-stars on the Replacement Index.
Her dam is Templequain Penny; Sheeba later sold for €6,900.
The Reserve Champion title went to another Ampertaine Foreman daughter: Lot 78, Clonguish Rosalie.
Bred by Joeseph McGarry, Rosalie was born in November 2020 and also carries four-stars on the Replacement Index.
Her dam is Castleview Jewel, a Wilodge Tonka-bred cow, and she sold for €5,800 during the sale.
Quality in demand at sale
As mentioned above, there was a huge demand for quality beef bulls and this was evident in the prices achieved on the day. The second-highest price was achieved by David Cogan and his bull, Clooncara Limousins Showman.
Showman, a Ampertaine Majestic son, was awarded first in his class earlier in the day and went on to sell for €7,100. Out of the dam Thomastown Harriet, a Wilodge Tonka daughter, he carries five-stars on the Replacement Index and five-stars on the Terminal Index.
Next up was Kevin Graham and his bull, Liverpool Sonny. A son of Ampertaine Magnum out of the dam Liverpool Mango, Sonny sold for €6,000.
This stylish bull carries five-stars on both the replacement and terminal indexes and has a calving difficulty figure of 1.8% on beef cows.
Looking at some of the heifer prices achieved on the day, Michael Molloy secured €4,100 and €3,800 for his heifers Mullary Sky and Mullary Snowdrop. Sky is a daughter of Kaprico Eravelle, while Snowdrop was sired by Tomschoice Lexicon.
Additionally, Co. Clare-based breeder James O’Grady secured €3,600 for his Wilodge Cerberus-bred heifer Meenross Rafello, while regular exhibitor John Hickey secured €3,300 for his two heifers Brookland Scarlett and Brookland Sally.
Speaking after the sale, Pat Mulvehill, CEO of the Irish Limousin Cattle Society, said: “This was another very positive sale for Irish Limousin. We seen a strong demand from Irish farmers for quality Limousin genetics.
“Commercial Limousin cattle prices have been performing extremely well this autumn in mart sale rings, thus driving the demand we witnessed at this sale.
“Similarly to the society’s spring sales campaign, the strong average prices and clearance rates testify the confidence in the marketplace for quality Limousin beef genetics,” he said.
The society congratulated all breeders and thanked all under bidders, as well as Roscrea Mart and the Limousin council stewards. It wished all successful purchasers the best of luck with their new bulls and heifers.
The next society sale will take place at Athenry Mart on Saturday, December 10.