At the most recent council meeting of the Irish Charolais Cattle Society, three members were elected as new officers within the breed society.
The society’s council meeting took place in Athlone, Co. Westmeath on Thursday, April 14. As is the society’s protocol, the new officers were appointed at the first council meeting after the Annual General Meeting (AGM).
Co. Mayo man Oliver Connolly will step into the role of president, succeeding Co. Longford man Noel McGoldrick.
Also from Co. Mayo is Aiden Mac Hale, who will take the position of vice president, succeeding Co. Killkenny Charolais breeder Christy Comerford.
West of Ireland, Co. Galway man Peter Daveron will take on the role of treasurer of the breed society, succeeding Elphin, Co. Roscommon man Thomas Gormley.
The Irish Charolais Cattle Society expressed its thanks to the three outgoing officers, and wished the three incoming officers the best of luck in their new positions.
Sales
The Irish Charolais Cattle Society hosted a pedigree bull sale on Saturday, April 30, at Tuam Mart in Co. Galway, and another sale the previous Saturday, April 23, at Tullamore Mart.
According to the society, buyers came out in force for last Saturday’s show and sale of Charolais bulls in Tullamore.
The trade was described as lively right from the outset and was boosted by the fact that many of the bulls catalogued had found new homes prior to the sale.
Overall, 80% of the bulls put forward on the day sold to an average of €4,053, up nearly €500 on the same sale last year, while eight bulls sold for €5,000 or more.
Topping the trade at €6,300 was the Quinn family from Edenderry, Co. Offaly, with Ballym Rob, a son of the homebred Ballym Mate.
This December 2020-born bull goes back to Bourgogne and Ballym Bouvreuil.
As well as picking up a second-prize rosette in the pre-sale show, the bull displayed an impressive set of indexes, along with one of the lowest calving figures in the catalogue of 3.7% on beef cows.
The Quinns rounded off a great day when they sold Ballym Royale at €5,200 and Ballym Sebastian for €4,500.
Both bulls are sons of the herd’s stockbull, Ballym Mylove, who was imported from France a few years ago.
Royale packed a massive set of indexes as well as a calving figure of just 5% on beef cows.
The bull also carries two copies of the Q204X myostatin gene. Sebastian offered one of the highest terminal indexes in the catalogue of €182 along with one copy of the F94L gene. He went to Northern Ireland to a suckler farmer in Co. Down.