The Irish Holstein Friesian Association (IHFA) held the first of its annual spring bull sales on Wednesday 29 March in Central Auctions Mart, Nenagh, Co Tipperary, which saw 18 bulls forward for sale.

Securing the highest price at the sale was first prize winner Radney Istanbul from the herd of Henry O’Keefe, Freemount, Co Cork. Sired by Kilteskin Ace and boasting an EBI of €293, the August 2021-born bull sold for €5,400.

The trade remained solid throughout, in particular for the older bulls that were brought forward for sale.

Two bulls secured a figure of €5,100, the first of which was Evergrange Applejack ET from the herd of Mervyn Eager, Newcastle, Co Dublin.

The September 2021-born bull has an EBI figure of €184 and comes from the famous Apple cow family which boasts nine generations of VG- and EX-classified dams and he was sired by Westcoast Perseus.

The second bull to hit this figure was the champion of the pre-sale show, Mountfarna Premiere, from the herd of John O’Callaghan, Bandon, Co Cork.

The September 2021-born bull has an EBI figure of €151, was sired by Melarry Ssi Ren Filmore ET and was bred from five generations of VG- and EX-classified cows.

Premiere’s success brought about O’Callaghan’s third title in a week after previously securing the championship at the Kilkenny bull sales last Wednesday with Mountfarna Weatherman and then taking the champion heifer in milk title at the IHFA Cork club female sale on Friday with Mountfarna Mistie Dawn.