Just over 60 pedigree bulls went for auction at the first Kilkenny bull sale of the year on Wednesday 18 March.

Angus bulls made up over 60% of the entries, followed by Hereford, Friesian and Limousin.

Trade was buoyant across the board, with one common theme across the beef breeds - Euro-star indexes were paramount with buyers.

It was quite clear, the higher the index values of the bulls, the more they made.

For many pedigree breeders, this is a growing concern, as indexes are only a prediction that can and will change over time.

Breeding cattle on indexes alone is a dangerous road, as pedigree breeders know all too well.

Angus

A total of 32 Angus bulls traded on the day, representing a clearance of 84%, averaging €4,818.

At the top of that trade was Knockmountagh Lincoln A121, bred and exhibited by Eamon and John McKiernan from Co Louth.

A son of NCBC's top dairy-beef sire Intelagri Matteo ET and out of a Netherton Americano-bred cow, this October 2024-born bull is a full brother to the highest-selling Angus bull at the same event in 2025.

With a page of stars, below-average calving figures and a carcase weight figure of +16.7kg, he sold for €6,800 to Andrew Clegg, a dairy farmer from Co Laois.

Knockmountagh Lincoln selling for €6,800

Trading at €6,350 was Clashnagraun A Mac, the property of Leonard Gaynor from Co Tipperary.

Born in October 2024, A Mac packed a well-balanced set of indexes, as well as below-average calving figures across beef and dairy.

Bred from Cooltomin Urie 1396 and a Landscape Emmet-bred cow, he had a haul of dairy farmers hunting him down in the sale ring, before settling with James Donovan, a dairy farmer from Co Kilkenny.

Clashnagraun A Mac selling for €6,350

He was quickly followed by Feeraghdonal All Black Matteo at €6,300, a November 2024-born son of Intelagri Matteo ET and out of a HW Farghal-bred cow.

Brought out by Roscommon breeder Donal Carroll, the young Matteo boasted a dairy beef index of €149 backed up by a five star-replacement index of €162 and got knocked down to a dairy farmer from Co Waterford.

Feeraghdonal All Black Matteo selling for €6,300

Michael Sheahan received a call of €5,950 for his August 2024 born bull Luddenmore El Diablo A666, a son of the herd's stock bull Luddenmore Ebony Boy Y544, selling to a dairy herd in Co Waterford.

He came to auction with a massive set of figures, including a carcase weight figure of +26.4kg.

Luddenmore El Diablo selling for €5,950

At €5,800 was another Intelagri Matteo ET son Castlehale Alfie, exhibited by James Ryan from Co Kilkenny.

Again, he offered a tremendous set of numbers, ranking in the top 20% of the breed across terminal, replacement and dairy beef.

Earlier in the day, judge Aiden Moloney awarded the overall champion Angus to Margaret McKiernan's Drumcrow Pride N Joy A093, a September 2024-born son of Rawburn Ernan, who went on to sell for €4,500.

In reserve was Michael Kiernan's Gallaway Anto, another September 2024-born son of Rawburn Ernan, who went away at €4,700.

Hereford

Prices for Hereford bulls peaked at €5,500 for Corlismore Gattuso PP, a full polled bull bred and exhibited by the Cavan-based herd of Sean and Gary McKiernan.

Homebred on both sides of his pedigree, sired by Corlismorepoll 1 Codaline 102 and out of Corlismorepoll 1 Waitomo 218, this June 2024-born bull carries a nice spread of figures and went home with a dairy farmer from Co Wicklow.

Corlismore Gattuso PP selling for €5,500

Ballyfrunk Captain 3744 HH exhibited by Pat Murphy traded at €5,100, a son of Allowdale Rory 835 going back to Free Town Hotspur. Although lower on indexes than some of the other high sellers, Captain caught the eye of pedigree breeder Trevor Parr from Co Kilkenny.

Matching him at the same money was Castlehale Sean PH, another fantastic bull out of Fabb 1 Northern Star Pp and Corlismorepoll 1 Sydney 201. Exhibited by James Ryan, he found a new abode in Co Kilkenny with a local dairy farmer.

Castlehale Sean PH selling for €5,100

In the pre-sale show, Eamon McKiernan clinched the champion Hereford with Knockmountagh Aristocrat HH, who went on to sell for €4,100.

Overall, eight Hereford bulls (72% clearance) sold to an average of €4,462.

Limousin

Four out of the five Limousin bulls on offer exchanged hands, averaging €5,650.

Taking the top price of the day and indeed the highest price across all breeds for Laois breeder Michael Finn was Lismurragha Valtra, selling for €7,300.

A son of Haltcliffe Newton, this double F94L carrier is in the top 20% across all breeds for terminal and dairy beef. He sold to local Kilkenny farmer Ray Holohan.

Lismurragha Valtra selling for €7,300

Friesian

In the Friesian section, Cork breeder John O'Callaghan claimed the overall championship and the top two prices, with Mountfarna Gladiator and Mountfarna Bestman, both selling for €4,000.

Six out of the seven Friesian bulls in the yard averaged €3,033.

Mountfarna Gladiator selling for €4,000

Read all about the sale in next week's Irish Farmers Journal.