Saturday’s Irish Angus premier sale of bulls and heifers saw 31 bulls and 1 heifer forward for sale.

Customers were scarce on the day with just 14 bulls out of the 31 finding new homes and 17 bulls going home unsold. A small crowd was present on the day with good weather being blamed at keeping potential bull buyers away.

The disappointing return at Saturday’s sale continues a trend this spring of poor clearance rates at pedigree sales. There was a clearance rate of just 45%.

Judge Michael Flanagan selected Maria Calveys Knappagh Mike, a May 2015 born son of the popular NCBC sire Cornamuckla Lord Hardy K222 (KYA) as overall champion. He went on to sell for €3,200 in the sales ring.

Reserve Champion went to Kevin Diffleys Dec 2015 bull Clooncolligan Marshall by Bunlahy John (BJG). He went home unsold having failed to meet his reserve.

Top price of the sale went to Aidan Moloney, Co Clare with his March 2016 born bull, Ballinacragga Nemenis. This bull was by Cornamuckla Lord Hardy K222 and out of a Rawburn Lord Rocket F609 cow and boasted a terminal index of €71 and a replacement index of €152 with a calving difficulty of 1.6%. After a flurry of bids he was eventually knocked down at €4,000.

The only heifer in the sale Tubridmore Megan went home unsold having failed to meet her reserve. The next Irish Angus sale is in Kilmallock on Saturday 1 April.

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