Based outside Virginia, Co. Cavan, the Lisduff Angus Herd is set to host its second on-farm Christmas Bull and Heifer Sale this Saturday, December 18.
Speaking to Agriland ahead of the sale, Leo McEnroe of Lisduff Angus explained: “This is our seventh year having our own sale. We started our own sales in Thurles Mart with a bull sale a few years ago and now we have started having both bull and heifer sales here on the farm.”
Commenting on the progeny on offer in the sale, Leo explained: “We have 22 females and 10 bulls on offer at the sale. The progeny on offer consist of both black Angus and Red Angus cattle.”
Four red heifers and three red bulls will be offered at the sale and the remaining lots are black Angus.
The red Angus progeny on offer in the sale are bred off a bull “that is new to this country”, Leo explained. The bull – known as Oklea Red Glacier – “is an outstanding bull that was purchased from an artificial insemination (AI) company in the UK and is an out-cross to the red Angus genetics in Ireland”.
“In previous years we have had customers asking us for in-calf heifers so this year we decided to include two calved heifers with calves at foot and two in-calf heifers also. The rest of the females in the sale are maiden heifers,” he said.
“The bulls in the sale are bred off our own stock bulls which have served us well in the past and we have used a bull known as Rawburn Boss Hogg to try and improve our figures and as a result we have some cattle with very high index figures.”
The herd has just completed a test for TB and all animals are BVD (Bovine viral diarrhea) tested at birth.
All females put forward for the sale are examined and are sound and correct for breeding, and all bulls are semen tested and fertile.
All animals on offer at the sale will be eligible for export to Northern Ireland and a delivery service can be provided to the UK and Europe.
The Aberdeen Angus society will be on hand on the day to facilitate with new members and registrations.
Viewing on the day of the auction will be available from midday and farmers can bid ringside, or online via Ballyjamesduff Mart’s MartEye page.