The inaugural Genetic Gems sale of select Hereford females at GVM Tullamore last Saturday attracted a lot of interest both north and south of the border for the 14 catalogued females.

The sale took place just after the national Hereford calf show on Saturday and the highlight was lot 4, Herberry 1 Lucy-Ray.

She smashed the current male and female records, selling for €9,000 at 12 months old.

This polled embryo heifer from Ray Hunt and Veronica Brennan took the female championship title at the national Hereford show earlier in the summer and just hours before the sale was named female champion at the national calf show.

This Dendor 1 Kohinoor daughter heads to Northern Ireland to the Ballytrue herd of Phillip Murdock.

Grianan Orange V911 from the Fitzgerald family, an August 2020-born heifer sired by Grianan Parker, sold for €5,600.

There was strong demand for quality horned females also, with a maiden heifer from the Fitzgerald family, Grianan Orange V911, selling for €5,600 to Elisa Drumm, Ballivor, Co Meath.

This heifer was also in the top placings at the national show in September, where she claimed the title of reserve female champion.

She was sired by the Fitzgeralds’ stock bull, Grianan Parker.

Moyclare Rose, a July 2020-born daughter of Free Town Nadal, sold for €5,000.

Michael Molloy’s Moyclare Rose 49, a July 2020-born daughter of UK imported sire Free Town Nadal, also hit the €5,000 mark. Rose sold to James Thompson, Rathvilly, to join his Ballyraggan herd.

Final lot

The final lot through the ring was Droumdaniel Delia 91307 from Eugene Lynch. This August 2020-born heifer is by Brocca Kieran and sold at €3,500 to Noel Farrell, Westmeath.

Cathal McCaffery, Elphin, Co Roscommon, paid €3,200 for 15-month-old Keenagh Ruthea, sired by E & R Jones’s homebred stock bull Keenagh L-Jay. Rothea’s full brother sold in 2019 for €3,900 at the premier sale.

Polled heifers continued to be a strong trade, with two Fabb 1 Northern Star daughters selling to €3,200 and €3,000.

At €3,200 was Drumcarbin 1 Snow from Shane McKiernan. A 14-month-old daughter of the 2018 all-Ireland heifer calf champion, she sold online to Tyrone breeder Alan Shaw.

Selling for at €3,000 was lot 12 from Brian Duignan’s herd, Shancorpoll 1 Tilly. After a flurry of bidding, the hammer fell to local Geashill man, Joe Deverell.

A July 2020 horned heifer from the Lisgoagh herd of Padraic McKenna sold for €2,700. Penny, by UK imported sire Pulham Ringleader, sold to Francis Elmore, Co Louth.

The overall average for the eight heifers sold was €4,400.