Rocko and Saturno punch out at €9,000

While Irish farmers often prefer younger bulls, it was two of the most senior bulls in the yard that achieved top honours in the pre-sale show in Roscrea Mart and again at the Irish Limousin Cattle Society autumn premier sale of bulls and heifers last weekend.

Lot 1, Creenagh Rocko, a rising two-year-old bull, won his class and went on to be awarded the senior champion title. The Meredside Goldolphin-bred bull from a Grahams Unbeatable dam was later knocked down for the joint top price of €9,000 to an undisclosed buyer.

The bull is no stranger to success in the show ring, having been shown by owner Gareth McGuinness, Drogheda, Co Louth, in the Limousin National show held at Tullamore earlier in the summer, where he collected the sash for national senior male champion.

Standing second in his class to the senior champion was Killcastle Saturno ET. He was so admired by judge Chris Neale of the UK-based Nealeford herd that he tapped him out as reserve to his senior champion. Saturno was exhibited by Messrs A and P Kelly of Maymount farm, with the brothers seeing Saturno, a Ronick Hawk son from an Ampertaine Elgin dam, clinch joint top price of the day when the hammer fell at €9,000.

Darragh O’Meara of Ardnacrusha, Co Clare, saw his entry, Hurricane Scat Man ET, build on his successful summer of showing when he was tapped out as junior champion.

The youngest bull in the yard, he had Ampertaine genetics each side, with his sire being Ampertaine Foreman and maternal grandsire being Ampertaine Elgin. This young bull had collected a host of breed and interbreed champion sashes throughout the summer, having won the reserve junior champion at the Tullamore Show. He went to a new home at a price of €6,400.

In a day where the show results fed through to the sales ring, Clooncara Limousins Showman left the show ring with a red rosette, while breeder David Coogan of Kilmovee, Co Mayo, left the sales ring with a strong price of €7,100 in his back pocket. Sired by Ampertaine Majestic from a Wilodge Tonka cow, Showman boasted five stars in both terminal and maternal traits, with a massive +31.9kg carcase weight.

A smaller showing of females did not lead to reduced quality. Neale’s quality judging was again seen in the sales ring when his female champion of the day, Templequain Sheeba, topped the female section when she sold for €6,900. Bred by Thomas O’Shea, Portlaoise, Co Laois, the sweet Ampertaine Foreman heifer, whose maternal grandsire is Grangeford Jojo ET, saw a flurry of bids both online and around the ring before the 14-month-old was eventually sold.

The McGarry family of Newtownforbes, Co Longford, saw their entry Clonguish Rosie achieve success in the show and sales ring.

The long, powerful animal was put forward as reserve female champion, later going on to sell for €5,800 under the hammer. She is sired by Ampertaine Foreman, going back to a Wilodge Tonka cow, and was scanned incalf to Ampertaine Magnum. She had a single copy of the F94L gene and a single copy of the Q204X myostatin gene.

Other prices of note