The Irish Simmental Cattle Society hosted its Spring Premier Sale at Roscommon Mart on Saturday, March 19.
The sale featured an impressive line-up of Simmental bulls and heifers with 55 bulls and 23 heifers cataloged.
The average sale price on the day settled at €3,840 for the bulls, but it was the heifer category that secured the highest priced animal on the day.
The sale affirmed the Simmental heifer as a popular choice among farmers, with a top price of €10,600 and an average price of €3,740 for the heifers, up €1,350 from the previous sale in 2021.
The bull sale
Topping the bull trade at €7,000 was the Overall Senior Champion, Coose Mackintosh, exhibited by father and son duo John and Ronan Tuohy, Co. Clare.
The judge on the day, Mr. Alan Wilson from the Bannhill Farm Herd in Northern Ireland, described his Champion as ‘Classy’.
This December 2020 bull is sired by the home-bred Coose Lincoln ET and out of a Curaheen Dam, who is a half-sister to the artificial insemination (AI) bull Curaheen Gunshot.
He sold with a 5-star terminal index of €119 and a calving figure of 5.1%.
After a flurry of ringside and online bids, he was eventually secured by a Northern Ireland-based suckler farmer.
Next up at €5,000 was Lot 21, Ardunsaghan Magic One, selling for the Connolly Family, Co Leitrim.
This December 2020-born bull is sired by Curaheen Wakeman and out of Clonagh Kim Willow who herself is by Bruchag Glenfiddich.
The bull catalogued with a page full of stars and a calving figure of just 3.3% sold across the water to Gordon Clark’s ‘Broombrae Herd’, Fife, Scotland.
Rathnashan Maple Syrup P ET for Nigel and Patrick Hogan, Co. Carlow, one of the oldest bulls on offer, selling for €4,600.
On the day, this dark-red polled bull, born September 2020, was Senior Reserve champion in the pre-sale show.
This Curaheen Gunshot sired bull is out of Rathnshan Heidi ET, a well-known homebred dam with a page full of stars. Another bull away to Scotland, this time to Gerald and Morag Smith’s ‘Drumsleed Herd’ in Kincardinshire.
Hitting the €4,200 mark was Marsha Mr. Mac for Michael Glennon, Co. Roscommon and shown by his son, Martin.
Born October 2020 with a calving figure of 2.9%, this long, dark red bull is sired by AI Bull, Seafort Gill and is out of Glebefarm Candice Imp, a Sheestown Tsar Dam.
Well known Mr. Garrett Behan of the Clonagh Herd, received €4,000 for his October 2020-born bull, Clonagh Mambo Venus.
This catchy bull boasting 5-stars and low calving figure of 2.5% is sired by the herds stock bull Manor Park Handsome, and out of a homebred dam Clonagh Grace Venus who goes back to Clonagh Direct Debit.
For John Finnegan and his sons, Coachford, Co. Cork, Lot 13 Leeherd Major an October 2020 bull sold for €3,900 was the third bull to sell to Scotland on the day.
This bull is by the herds’ well-known stock bull Dermotstown G Mac and a homebred dam Leeherd Fruity by Anatrim Fruity.
His full brother recently sold to AI company, Progressive Genetics.
Selling for €3,800 was Lot 14, Doire-Goile Match Maker owned by Chris and John Storey, Mountmellick, Co. Laois.
This bull was sired by Bova AI bull Lissadell Jackpot and out of a Hillcrest Champion cow Dermody Goddie.
Selling at €3,700 was Clonagh My Lord Fabulous for Garrett Behan, Portlaois, Co. Laois.
This October 2020 bull sired by Kilbride Farm Dragoon and out of homebred dam Clonagh Enchanting Fab who was by the great award-winning bull Bawny T-Rex.
Garrett Behan was in again quickly after with Clonagh Modern Man and dropped the hammer at €3,500.
Clonagh Modern Man, is sired again by Kilbride Farm Dragoon, and out of another T-Rex female, Clonagh Groovy Truly.
Finally, up at €2,800 was Lot 28 Fairymount Maradona for well-known breeders John Joe and Sean Carroll, Castlerea, Co. Roscommon.
This late December 2020 dark-red bull was sired by Curaheen Dickens and out of Fairymount Wynona who is sired by top cow, Clonaslee Admiral. He sold to a Co. Clare-based pedigree and commercial suckler herd.
The heifer sale
In a smaller Simmental female section a brisk trade was witnessed resulting in a top price of €10,600, with an average price of €3,740.
Top price of €10,600 was for the female champion, Limehill Melody for Mark Neenan, Limehill, Tynagh Co. Galway.
This May 2020 heifer is sired by Saltire Impressive and out of Herkules Dam.
This Simmental heifer comes from National title bloodlines and was scanned in calf to the much sought after, Glebefarm Tyson.
There was plenty of interest in this heifer and after an interesting bidding war, auctioneer Denis Barrett dropped the hammer to the Backmuir herd of the Simmers family.
Two heifers achieved the price of €4000, First was Declan and Ryan Callan for Lot 65 Thornford Monaghan Lass, sired by Anatrim Bodybuilder and out of a Raceview King Dam Thornford Deedee.
Next up at €4,000 was Mainview Nancy exhibited by Kevin Treanor, Scotstown, Co. Monaghan.
This 12-month-old heifer is sired by Milnafua Graduate and is out of a Dermotstown Delboy dam Scribby Farms Honey.
She took the Reserve Female Champion title in the day’s pre-sale show and is heading across the Irish sea to Cornwall, to the Crowgey Herd.
At €3,200 was Lot 58 Thornford Missy Fiona P ET for Declan and Ryan Callan, out of the herds prolific brood cow Seafort Fiona P, this lady is heading to a Northern Ireland pedigree herd.
Two more heifers both achieved €3,000, Lot 63 was the first Duff Matilda bred by Barry and John Duffy, Ballybay, Co. Monaghan.
This heifer is sired by Kilbride Farm Delboy out of an Islavale Cracker dam Duff Fabia.
The second heifer selling at €3,000 was Lot 73, the youngest heifer in the sale.
Lot 73 Rabawn Naomi was bred by John Brady, Claremorris Co. Mayo. This 12-month-old heifer is by Curaheen Tyson and a homebred dam Rabawn Gladys who herself is by Clonagh Direct Debit.
Finally, Lot 60 Bridgemount Melony owned by William O’Riordan, Rathcormac Co. Cork sold for €2,600.
This October 2020-born heifer was by Curaheen Earp and a Seaview Tommy Dam Bridgemount Holly.
The next Simmental sale takes place at Tullamore Mart on Friday, April 29.