The Irish Charolais Cattle Society held its first sale of the year in GVM Marts, Tullamore, Co Offaly, last Saturday and it didn’t disappoint, with good northern buyer activity underpinning the trade,
The word on the ground is that some of these northern bull purchasers are moving a little earlier than normal to secure bulls before a possible no-deal Brexit on 30 March 2019.
Northern customers are an important cog in the pedigree sale wheel in the south and northern buyer activity is always welcome. Eight of the 44 bulls (18%) were sold to northern customers.
Commenting on the sale, Nevin McKiernan said he was very happy with the trade for the good-quality bulls.
“It’s very easy to see around the ring that customers require quality and it’s great to see the good-quality bull being rewarded with the top prices. With all the doom and gloom around the beef industry at the moment, it is heartening to see men waving their hands for bulls.
“Top-quality weanlings are still a very good trade and I guess that is what is driving the trade for top-quality Charolais bulls,” he said.
The day’s top price went to Grangwood Nephew ET, an October 2017-born Goldstar Echo son out of a Picasso cow from Limerick breeders Jerry and Kay O’Keefe.
The senior championship was awarded to Martin Ryan, Thurles, for his bull Goldstar Nostradamus which sold for €3,500.
Nephew had a terminal index of €144 and a calving difficulty figure of +7.7%.
The junior reserve championship was awarded to Jerry and Kay O’Keefe, Limerick, for their bull Grangwood Nephew which sold for €6,100.
Nephew was tapped out as junior reserve champion by judge David Connolly, Co Down, in the pre-sale show. Auctioneer Tom Cox dropped the hammer at €6,100. The successful purchaser was Brian McConville, Castlewellan, Co Down.
Next highest went to well-known Donegal breeder Patrick McClean for his bull Roughan Norman 3, which was awarded the junior championship rosette. This November 2017-born bull was packed with Roughan bloodlines all the way back, being by Pat’s stock bull Roughan Jason and out of a Roughan Divin cow.
Norman 3 had a terminal index of €141 and a calving difficulty figure of +6.5%. He was knocked down at €6,000 to Northern Ireland-based T and T Fitzpatrick, Kilkeel, Co Down.
Judge David Connolly awarded the senior championship to Tipperary breeder Martin Ryan for Goldstar Nostradamus, a September 2017-born Loulou son out of the famous show cow Goldstar Godiva, who was by Major.
Nostradamus had a terminal index of €122 and had a calving difficulty figure of +11.3%. He was secured by Maeve Higgins, Loughrea, Co Galway, for €3,500.
The reserve senior championship went to Matt Ryan, Co Tipperary, for his September 2017-born bull Kilvilcorris Norman.
The senior reserve championship went to Matt Ryan, Thurles, for his bull Kilvilcorris Norman which sold for €5,600.
By Plexus and out of a Doonally New cow, Norman had a terminal index of €134 and a calving difficulty figure of +8.8%. He was sold to Thomas Delaney, Ballinasloe, Co Galway, at €5,600.
Next-highest price went to Westmeath-based breeder John Barry Moran for his bull Brocca Nostradamus. This September 2017-born Meillard son out of a Jupiter cow was knocked down to the same purchaser as the senior champion at €4,450. He had a terminal index of €146 and a calving difficulty figure of +8.8%.
Two lots shared the price tag of €4,050. Elizabeth Hughes, Cootehill, Co Cavan, sold her July 2017-born Fiston son for €4,050. Matt Ryan also sold his September-born Pirate son Kilvilcorris Niall for €4,050.
The sale average was €3,149, back €601 on the January 2018 sale. Clearance was also back to 65% from a 72% rate in 2018. The next Charolais society sale is the spring premier sale on Saturday 23 March in Elphin Mart, Co Roscommon.
The Irish Charolais Cattle Society held its first sale of the year in GVM Marts, Tullamore, Co Offaly, last Saturday and it didn’t disappoint, with good northern buyer activity underpinning the trade,
The word on the ground is that some of these northern bull purchasers are moving a little earlier than normal to secure bulls before a possible no-deal Brexit on 30 March 2019.
Northern customers are an important cog in the pedigree sale wheel in the south and northern buyer activity is always welcome. Eight of the 44 bulls (18%) were sold to northern customers.
Commenting on the sale, Nevin McKiernan said he was very happy with the trade for the good-quality bulls.
“It’s very easy to see around the ring that customers require quality and it’s great to see the good-quality bull being rewarded with the top prices. With all the doom and gloom around the beef industry at the moment, it is heartening to see men waving their hands for bulls.
“Top-quality weanlings are still a very good trade and I guess that is what is driving the trade for top-quality Charolais bulls,” he said.
The day’s top price went to Grangwood Nephew ET, an October 2017-born Goldstar Echo son out of a Picasso cow from Limerick breeders Jerry and Kay O’Keefe.
The senior championship was awarded to Martin Ryan, Thurles, for his bull Goldstar Nostradamus which sold for €3,500.
Nephew had a terminal index of €144 and a calving difficulty figure of +7.7%.
The junior reserve championship was awarded to Jerry and Kay O’Keefe, Limerick, for their bull Grangwood Nephew which sold for €6,100.
Nephew was tapped out as junior reserve champion by judge David Connolly, Co Down, in the pre-sale show. Auctioneer Tom Cox dropped the hammer at €6,100. The successful purchaser was Brian McConville, Castlewellan, Co Down.
Next highest went to well-known Donegal breeder Patrick McClean for his bull Roughan Norman 3, which was awarded the junior championship rosette. This November 2017-born bull was packed with Roughan bloodlines all the way back, being by Pat’s stock bull Roughan Jason and out of a Roughan Divin cow.
Norman 3 had a terminal index of €141 and a calving difficulty figure of +6.5%. He was knocked down at €6,000 to Northern Ireland-based T and T Fitzpatrick, Kilkeel, Co Down.
Judge David Connolly awarded the senior championship to Tipperary breeder Martin Ryan for Goldstar Nostradamus, a September 2017-born Loulou son out of the famous show cow Goldstar Godiva, who was by Major.
Nostradamus had a terminal index of €122 and had a calving difficulty figure of +11.3%. He was secured by Maeve Higgins, Loughrea, Co Galway, for €3,500.
The reserve senior championship went to Matt Ryan, Co Tipperary, for his September 2017-born bull Kilvilcorris Norman.
The senior reserve championship went to Matt Ryan, Thurles, for his bull Kilvilcorris Norman which sold for €5,600.
By Plexus and out of a Doonally New cow, Norman had a terminal index of €134 and a calving difficulty figure of +8.8%. He was sold to Thomas Delaney, Ballinasloe, Co Galway, at €5,600.
Next-highest price went to Westmeath-based breeder John Barry Moran for his bull Brocca Nostradamus. This September 2017-born Meillard son out of a Jupiter cow was knocked down to the same purchaser as the senior champion at €4,450. He had a terminal index of €146 and a calving difficulty figure of +8.8%.
Two lots shared the price tag of €4,050. Elizabeth Hughes, Cootehill, Co Cavan, sold her July 2017-born Fiston son for €4,050. Matt Ryan also sold his September-born Pirate son Kilvilcorris Niall for €4,050.
The sale average was €3,149, back €601 on the January 2018 sale. Clearance was also back to 65% from a 72% rate in 2018. The next Charolais society sale is the spring premier sale on Saturday 23 March in Elphin Mart, Co Roscommon.
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