Commercial cattle prices are really starting to have an impact on pedigree cattle sales, as seen at the Aubrac cattle show and sale in Golden Vale Mart, Tullamore, on Saturday 25 October.
Breeding females in particular were a ferocious trade, with all age categories in massive demand.
Buyers from all over Ireland purchased, with just one heifer selling to Northern Ireland.
Overall, 33 out of the 34 heifers in the yard sold, averaging €3,754. Seven out of the nine bulls catalogued found new homes, averaging €4,092.
F94L gene
Receiving the highest price of the day at €6,050 was John Terence Sweeney from Co Galway with Ballyconneely Tinkerbell.
A daughter of Dauphin out of Ballintra Kelly, a Caporal daughter, this January-2023 born heifer sold alongside her young heifer calf, Ballyconneely Valery, sired by Turloughmore Magnificent.
Packing an impressive set of figures and two copies of the F94L gene, the pair were purchased by Rory Killeen in Co Clare.
In-calf heifer
The in-calf heifer Altamont Tess was next best in the females at €5,200. Bred and exhibited by Leo Dooley from Co Wexford, Tess is a March 2023-born daughter of Altamont Oats out of the French-bred dam, Joconde.
Selling with a replacement index of €171 and a five-star carcase weight figure of +22kg, she was the choice of Neil O'Connor from Co Laois.
Altamont Tess sold for the second highest price of €5,200.
John Walsh from Ballintra in Co Donegal realised €5,000 for his February 2024-born heifer Ballintra Uda.
A daughter of Marquis going back to Delrieu Miami and Ballintra Faye, she was acquired by a Roscommon breeder.
It wasn't all about figures, as one of the lowest index heifers in the catalogue, Heatherfield Uda, attracted a price tag of €4,800.
Bred and exhibited by Gerard O'Donnell from Co Donegal, this April 2024-born heifer is homebred on both sides and carries one copy of both the F94L and NT821 genes.
Cavan judge
Judge John Smyth from Co Cavan awarded the overall championship to Colin Jackson's bull, Knocknagree Ulysses.
Hailing from Co Wicklow, this 17-month-old bull is a son of Turloughmore Supreme and the Calverstown Orca bred cow, Knocknagree Sasha. He offered buyers a well-balanced set of indexes, including a five-star beef-sub-index of €161.
Overall champion Knocknagree Ulysses shown by Colin Jackson sold for €4,700.
Westmeath breeder Robert Burns was next in line in the bulls with Simonstown Ultan at €4,500. A son of Johnstown Prince going back to Caporal, this February 2024-born bull auctioned with two copies of the F94L gene as well as a dairy-beef-index of €169. He will stay in the Lake County with Brendan Fox in Kilbeggan.
Read all about it in this week's Irish Farmers Journal.
Commercial cattle prices are really starting to have an impact on pedigree cattle sales, as seen at the Aubrac cattle show and sale in Golden Vale Mart, Tullamore, on Saturday 25 October.
Breeding females in particular were a ferocious trade, with all age categories in massive demand.
Buyers from all over Ireland purchased, with just one heifer selling to Northern Ireland.
Overall, 33 out of the 34 heifers in the yard sold, averaging €3,754. Seven out of the nine bulls catalogued found new homes, averaging €4,092.
F94L gene
Receiving the highest price of the day at €6,050 was John Terence Sweeney from Co Galway with Ballyconneely Tinkerbell.
A daughter of Dauphin out of Ballintra Kelly, a Caporal daughter, this January-2023 born heifer sold alongside her young heifer calf, Ballyconneely Valery, sired by Turloughmore Magnificent.
Packing an impressive set of figures and two copies of the F94L gene, the pair were purchased by Rory Killeen in Co Clare.
In-calf heifer
The in-calf heifer Altamont Tess was next best in the females at €5,200. Bred and exhibited by Leo Dooley from Co Wexford, Tess is a March 2023-born daughter of Altamont Oats out of the French-bred dam, Joconde.
Selling with a replacement index of €171 and a five-star carcase weight figure of +22kg, she was the choice of Neil O'Connor from Co Laois.
Altamont Tess sold for the second highest price of €5,200.
John Walsh from Ballintra in Co Donegal realised €5,000 for his February 2024-born heifer Ballintra Uda.
A daughter of Marquis going back to Delrieu Miami and Ballintra Faye, she was acquired by a Roscommon breeder.
It wasn't all about figures, as one of the lowest index heifers in the catalogue, Heatherfield Uda, attracted a price tag of €4,800.
Bred and exhibited by Gerard O'Donnell from Co Donegal, this April 2024-born heifer is homebred on both sides and carries one copy of both the F94L and NT821 genes.
Cavan judge
Judge John Smyth from Co Cavan awarded the overall championship to Colin Jackson's bull, Knocknagree Ulysses.
Hailing from Co Wicklow, this 17-month-old bull is a son of Turloughmore Supreme and the Calverstown Orca bred cow, Knocknagree Sasha. He offered buyers a well-balanced set of indexes, including a five-star beef-sub-index of €161.
Overall champion Knocknagree Ulysses shown by Colin Jackson sold for €4,700.
Westmeath breeder Robert Burns was next in line in the bulls with Simonstown Ultan at €4,500. A son of Johnstown Prince going back to Caporal, this February 2024-born bull auctioned with two copies of the F94L gene as well as a dairy-beef-index of €169. He will stay in the Lake County with Brendan Fox in Kilbeggan.
Read all about it in this week's Irish Farmers Journal.
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