The Irish Simmental Cattle Society's Premier Show and Sale will take place at Roscommon Co-Operative Livestock Mart this Saturday (October 24).

The sale is expected to feature almost 50 bulls and 80 heifers and according to the cattle breed society "will afford suckler farmers the opportunity to select from the very-best Simmental bulls to ensure high-quality, sought-after replacement heifers are produced".

The heifers set to be offered in the sale will include a range of show-winning animals from throughout this summer as well as a selection of heifers from pedigree breeders.

The sale will also feature drafts from well-known herds including the Clonagh Simmental Herd in Co. Laois and the Coose Simmental Herd from Co. Galway.

Judging in the pre-sale show will kick off at the mart venue on Saturday, October 24, at 8:00a.m with the sale set to commence at 12 noon.

The sale catalogue and pre-sale images of the entries are available on the Irish Simmental Cattle Society website and enquiries can also be made by contacting the Irish Simmental Cattle Society directly on 057 93 24577.

Simmental breeding performance at recent sales

At the recent Simmental breeding heifers sales which took place at Ballymote Mart in Co. Sligo and and Gort Co Operative Mart in Co. Galway, demand for quality Simmental heifers "outweighed supply with exceptional prices paid by suckler farmers" according to the society.

In the Ballymote sale, there was an 98% clearance rate in the in-calf section with an average price of €4,135 which was up €135 on the 2025 average.

Prices topped at €5,650 for a December-calving heifer.

In Gort, the clearance rate for in-calf heifers was 95% with an average price of €3,200.

The top price here was €4,000 for a heifer due in November.

Sample weanling heifer prices from the Simmental sale at Gort:

€2,100 for 235kg (€8.94/kg) five-month-old heifer;
€2,050 for 235kg (€8.72/kg) May-2026-born five-month-old heifer;
€2,600 for 330kg (€7.88/kg) eight-month-old heifer;
€2,300 for 290kg (€7.93/kg) seven-month-old heifer;
€2,550 for 325kg (€7.85/kg) nine-month-old heifer.

The society also said that the demand for maiden heifers fit for service between now and February 2027 was "on fire in both Ballymote and Gort" with prices topping out at up to €8.94/kg and heifers making in excess of €3,000 in some cases.

Sample weanling heifer prices from the Simmental sale at Gort:

€3,550 for 425kg (€8.35/kg) nine-month-old heifer;
€3,250 for 415kg (€7.83/kg) 10-month-old heifer;
€3,000 for 450kg (€6.67/kg) nine-month-old heifer;
€2,000 for 280kg (€7.14/kg) eight-month-old heifer;
€1,850 for 245kg (€7.55/kg) six-month-old heifer.

The Simmental society said: "There is a keen demand from suckler farmers for heifers that will have the ability to calve and have enough milk to rear their calves to their full potential.

"Weight for age is a key factor around the weanling sales rings this autumn and Simmental cows deliver weanlings with weight."