An October 2023-born pedigree Charolais maiden heifer took the top price of €12,200 at the Goldstar Charolais Production Sale which drew to a close on Monday evening, September 30.
The production sale from the fold of renowned pedigree Charolais breeder Martin Ryan took place on MartEye via a timed auction in conjunction with Mid Tipperary Co Operative Livestock Mart, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.
The sale featured a total of 27 lots and included in-calf heifers, maiden heifers and embryos with 25 of the 27 lots sold.
The top-priced heifer was Lot four, Goldstar Une Star ET, a Neptune (CH7161) sired heifer and Goldstar Scarlette was her dam. This lot was purchased by UK-based Thor Atkinson.
The heifer was described as the winner of multiple championships, and the Charolais champion at several shows. The heifer was also the Reserve Senior Female Calf champion at Tullamore Show. The heifer was sold with a regular breeding cycle.
The second-highest price in the sale was €9,800 going to Goldstar Vanilla ET, a January 2024-born heifer.
This heifer – also sired by Neptune – has also secured a number of rosettes at shows this summer and is a full sister of the Charolais bull Reglisse with her dam being Goldstar Pepite.
This heifer was purchased by Co. Monaghan based Shane Conlon from Shacon Livestock.
Making €9,600 was April 2023-born maiden heifer Goldstar Una. This heifer was sired by Goldstar Othello (CH5446) and her dam is Goldstar Falkland. She was described in the sale as “an outstandingly correct and functional heifer”.
In the selection of embryos offered in the sale, the top-priced embryo was a Neptune-sired Gold-star Une Star selling for €1,000.
The Goldstar Herd has built a strong reputation over the years for producing championship winners at national level.
The herd has exported pedigree Charolais cattle to countries including France, England, Scotland, Wales, the Isle of Man, Northern Ireland and the Czech Republic and has also bred five bulls that went into AI.
The herd was started in 1996 and today focuses on breeding females that will make quality breeding females.