Based in Corvally, Co. Monaghan, McEnaney Livestock has been making big impressions in the world of Irish commercial show cattle in recent years.

Agriland recently paid a visit to the farm ahead of its inaugural 'Corvalley Classy Lassies' sale, which is set to take place at Elphin Co-Operative Livestock Mart on Saturday, October 17.

The sale will feature over 40 in-calf heifers as well as over 60 maiden heifers.

Gavin McEnaney said that over the past four to five years, the farm has been working to build up "a strong herd of cattle".

"We're venturing into the show business and looking to get premium genetics from all across Ireland.

"We'd be doing embryo work and calving down recipients," he explained.

Late last year, the farm purchased cattle from several of the premium commercial cattle sales across Ireland.

"We took a big interest in some of the genetics and some of the breeding," McEnaney said.

Commenting on how the upcoming sale has come about, he said: "We felt that it was a great opportunity to build a platform for us to create a sale with some premium-quality animals to suit all sorts of farmers, all the way up to the top showmen."

Corvalley Classy Lassies sale

The Corvalley Classy Lassies sale will feature over 40 in-calf heifers which McEnaney said have been served to easy-calving artificial ingemination (AI) bulls as well as the farm stock bull which is a son of EBY.

As well as the in-calf selection, there will also be a selection of over 60 maiden heifers offered in the sale.

McEnaney said: "These are a serious batch of maiden heifers, I'm very impressed with them and I believe some of them definitely will be in the show rings next year and 100% there will be men flushing them throughout the country."

The sale will take place on Saturday, October 17, at 12:00pm with viewing of the heifers available at Elphin Mart on Friday evening, October 16, from 5:00pm to 8:00pm.

Commenting on some of the entries which he expects will attract particular interest, McEnaney said: "We have an Idol daughter bred by Jack and Declan O'Mara from Co. Laois in the sale.

"We purchased her in Carrick-on-Shannon in the Elite Halter Sale at the end of this at the end of last year.

"She was overall champion in the Castleblaney show, and she's sure to produce a show calf in the coming years," he said.

According to McEnaney, there will be 42 in-calf and 64 maiden heifers in the sale.

"And we've one for every farmer in Ireland," he added.