The 25 bulls on sale, all born in the past two years, sold for €2,400 to €4,400.

Gigginstown Brave Man P255, a September 2014-born five-star bull sired by Friarstown Empire J160, fetched the top price at €4,400. His dam was Gigginstown House Boomtime and he had the lowest calving difficulty index of all bulls on sale on the day, at just 2%.

One other bull topped €4,000 – four star Gigginstown Lord Inglis P240, also by Friarstown Empire J160.

Heifers with calf at foot were a big attraction

“Heifers with calf at foot were a big attraction,” Michal O’Leary told the Irish Farmers Journal after the sale, adding he was “very happy” with the prices achieved.

The top seller was Gigginstown Rattle and Hum N128, an October 2013-born four-star heifer with her calf sired by Gigginstown House Vagabond P170. Her sire was – again – Friarstown Empire J160 and her dam Gigginstown House Rosanna. She fetched €3,700.

Other heifers in calf or with calf at foot sold around €3,000.

Trade was slower for maiden heifers at the end of the sale, with prices ranging from €1,700 to €2,700 and a large number grouped around the €2,000 mark.

The best performing maiden heifer was Gigginstown Enemy Watch P245, a five-star scorer sired by Tara Bobbie L902 and born in September 2014.

Mullingar auctioneer Paul Murtagh was pleased with the full clearance and said: “Animals here are not force-fed, they are very fair to every farmer.”

O’Leary welcomed the mix of new and returning buyers and joked with the herd’s manager Joe O’Mahony at his side: “Joe’s job is safe for another year!”