The Irish Angus Munster branch premier sale saw a vast improvement in trading last Saturday, with the number of bulls sold nearly doubling from the previous year. A bigger than expected entry saw 42 bulls go through the ring, with 27 finding new homes.
While this represented a 65% clearance rate, perhaps a truer reflection of trade on the day was that 27 bulls sold, up from 14 the previous year. This increase in number of buyers was coupled with an average on par with the last two years, settling at €2,520.
While there may not have been a fierce crowd in attendance, those present were there to do business.
High price
Auctioneering for the first time at an Irish Angus Munster branch sale, Denis Barrett kept the show on the road and knocked down one of the highest prices in the last 10 years.
Securing a bid of €4,200 was the reserve overall champion Beryl Paddy from Gerard Hogan, Kilfeacle, Co Tipperary. Sired by three-time all-Ireland champion Rosemead Karona, Paddy is out of HF Rebel daughter Beryl Missy.
This September 2017-born bull carries five stars on the terminal index and a calving figure of 2.2%.
Taking the overall championship at the premier sale for the second year in a row was Martin Hehir, Miltown Malbay, Co Clare.
His December 2017-born bull, Killernan Pete, was placed first in the third class before being tapped out as overall champion by Kilkenny-based judge Joe Moran.
Irish Angus Cattle Society Munster branch bull show and sale champion Killernan Pete, which sold for €3,800, with owner Martin Hehir, Miltown Malbay, Co Clare; judge Joe Moran, Kilkenny; and branch chair Patrick Noonan. \ O’Gorman Photography
Sired by Goulding Jumbo King, this bull’s pedigree also includes Mogeely Joe and Jerusalem Faraday. Carrying a calving index of 2.4%, Pete was knocked down for the second-top price of €3,800.
Throughout the sale, it was clear that the time of going for the very-low calving-indexed bull was gone.
While calving ease was still looked at, buyers were paying more attention to bull quality and happily going up to 3% calving difficulty if the bull suited. This was matched with a stronger demand for an older, more able bull.
These traits helped a total of six bulls sell for €3,000 or more. This is up from three bulls which sold between €3,000 and €3,400 at the premier last year.
Two bulls hit the €3,100 mark. First up was one of the earlier bulls into the ring, Inchisine Prestige from Denis O’Riordan.
Good week
This topped a very good week for the Macroom-based breeder who also topped the sale in Bandon a few days earlier.
This September 2017-born bull is sired by stock bull Cooldaniel Jane and is out of the homebred dam Inchisine Haley. This bull carries a replacement index of €120 and a calving index of only 1.9%.
Matching him at the money was the second-prizewinner to the champion, Mercury Paul, from John Murphy, Banteer, Co Cork.
This stylish November 2017-born bull is sired by the herd’s former stock bull Luddenmore Just the Business and dam Mercury Lady Pam. With a calving figure of 1.9% and the highest terminal index in the sale, Paul was the pick of a pedigree herd in west Cork.
Murphy’s second exhibit, Mercury Perfect Joy, was also in the high-sellers when he sold for €3,000. This 16-month-old bull carries five stars down the line and comes with a wealth of breeding. Another son of Luddenmore Just the Business, Perfect Joy’s full sister sold for €4,700 at the Mercury female clearance last October. This bull was also secured for pedigree breeding in a Cork herd.
Also hitting the €3,000 mark was Gurtavoher Richardo from John Barlow, Aherlow, Co Tipperary. This January 2018-born bull is a son of the herd’s stock bull Castlelough Midnight Brandy, with Goulding Jumbo King and Shankill Max also in the back breeding.
Five stars on carcase weight and carcase conformation, Richardo carries a calving figure of 2.7%.
The Barlow family also sold their second exhibit, Gurtavoher Podge, for €2,800. The oldest bull catalogued, Podge was a son of proven short-gestation bull Cornamuckla Lord Hardy, while the dam is homebred on both sides.
Also selling at €2,800 was Thomas Finnucane’s Keel Padarn. This September 2017-born bull is sired by the herd’s stock bull Ballykeevican Levi and out of Arroo Goliath daughter Keel Kasandra. This bull carries three stars on the terminal and replacement indices, with a calving index of 1.9%.
The Irish Angus Munster branch premier sale saw a vast improvement in trading last Saturday, with the number of bulls sold nearly doubling from the previous year. A bigger than expected entry saw 42 bulls go through the ring, with 27 finding new homes.
While this represented a 65% clearance rate, perhaps a truer reflection of trade on the day was that 27 bulls sold, up from 14 the previous year. This increase in number of buyers was coupled with an average on par with the last two years, settling at €2,520.
While there may not have been a fierce crowd in attendance, those present were there to do business.
High price
Auctioneering for the first time at an Irish Angus Munster branch sale, Denis Barrett kept the show on the road and knocked down one of the highest prices in the last 10 years.
Securing a bid of €4,200 was the reserve overall champion Beryl Paddy from Gerard Hogan, Kilfeacle, Co Tipperary. Sired by three-time all-Ireland champion Rosemead Karona, Paddy is out of HF Rebel daughter Beryl Missy.
This September 2017-born bull carries five stars on the terminal index and a calving figure of 2.2%.
Taking the overall championship at the premier sale for the second year in a row was Martin Hehir, Miltown Malbay, Co Clare.
His December 2017-born bull, Killernan Pete, was placed first in the third class before being tapped out as overall champion by Kilkenny-based judge Joe Moran.
Irish Angus Cattle Society Munster branch bull show and sale champion Killernan Pete, which sold for €3,800, with owner Martin Hehir, Miltown Malbay, Co Clare; judge Joe Moran, Kilkenny; and branch chair Patrick Noonan. \ O’Gorman Photography
Sired by Goulding Jumbo King, this bull’s pedigree also includes Mogeely Joe and Jerusalem Faraday. Carrying a calving index of 2.4%, Pete was knocked down for the second-top price of €3,800.
Throughout the sale, it was clear that the time of going for the very-low calving-indexed bull was gone.
While calving ease was still looked at, buyers were paying more attention to bull quality and happily going up to 3% calving difficulty if the bull suited. This was matched with a stronger demand for an older, more able bull.
These traits helped a total of six bulls sell for €3,000 or more. This is up from three bulls which sold between €3,000 and €3,400 at the premier last year.
Two bulls hit the €3,100 mark. First up was one of the earlier bulls into the ring, Inchisine Prestige from Denis O’Riordan.
Good week
This topped a very good week for the Macroom-based breeder who also topped the sale in Bandon a few days earlier.
This September 2017-born bull is sired by stock bull Cooldaniel Jane and is out of the homebred dam Inchisine Haley. This bull carries a replacement index of €120 and a calving index of only 1.9%.
Matching him at the money was the second-prizewinner to the champion, Mercury Paul, from John Murphy, Banteer, Co Cork.
This stylish November 2017-born bull is sired by the herd’s former stock bull Luddenmore Just the Business and dam Mercury Lady Pam. With a calving figure of 1.9% and the highest terminal index in the sale, Paul was the pick of a pedigree herd in west Cork.
Murphy’s second exhibit, Mercury Perfect Joy, was also in the high-sellers when he sold for €3,000. This 16-month-old bull carries five stars down the line and comes with a wealth of breeding. Another son of Luddenmore Just the Business, Perfect Joy’s full sister sold for €4,700 at the Mercury female clearance last October. This bull was also secured for pedigree breeding in a Cork herd.
Also hitting the €3,000 mark was Gurtavoher Richardo from John Barlow, Aherlow, Co Tipperary. This January 2018-born bull is a son of the herd’s stock bull Castlelough Midnight Brandy, with Goulding Jumbo King and Shankill Max also in the back breeding.
Five stars on carcase weight and carcase conformation, Richardo carries a calving figure of 2.7%.
The Barlow family also sold their second exhibit, Gurtavoher Podge, for €2,800. The oldest bull catalogued, Podge was a son of proven short-gestation bull Cornamuckla Lord Hardy, while the dam is homebred on both sides.
Also selling at €2,800 was Thomas Finnucane’s Keel Padarn. This September 2017-born bull is sired by the herd’s stock bull Ballykeevican Levi and out of Arroo Goliath daughter Keel Kasandra. This bull carries three stars on the terminal and replacement indices, with a calving index of 1.9%.
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