Snow falling outside the bull sales shed on Saturday morning didn’t lower the temperature inside and a strong contingent of buyers assembled for the small catalogue of bulls available on the day.

Reports on the ground suggested that dairy farmers have been hoovering up both Aberdeen Angus and Hereford bulls in bull breeders’ yards with a number of bull sales in April down on entries due to the high level of on-farm sales.

It was Ballyconnell brothers, William and Andrew Woods, who took home the top price in the sale with their January 2022-born Aberdeen Angus bull, Dungimmon Victor.

Drumbeera Vladimar, pictured with Patrick Beirne, sold for €4,600.

Sired by Haymount Warsmith and out of a homebred cow by Rosemead Karona, Victor came to the sale on the back of a number of wins on the summer show circuit in 2022.

After a marathon bidding session, auctioneer Francis McGowan eventually knocked him down at €7,400 to a Westmeath suckler farmer.

The next highest price went to the youngest bull in the yard, Drumbeera Vladimar from Thomas F Beirne, Gorvagh, who sold for €4,600.

The March 2022-born son of Caulry Nationwide was out of a Newbridge Hero cow.

Judge Cathal McCormack from the Steil Angus Herd in Roscommon tapped out Leo McEnroe’s August 2021-born bull Lisduff Dream On X955 for champion.

He failed to meet his reserve in the ring but McEnroe went on to sell two other bulls, Lisduff Lewis Hamilton and Lisduff Duke, for €4,500 each.

Local man Donal Carroll from Hillstreet, Carrick-on-Shannon, took home €4,000 for his December 2021-born son of Rawburn Boss Hogg, Feeraghdonal U237.

Also hitting €4,000 was the pre-sale show reserve champion, Aughnamona U Everest, from Geraldine Shanley.

This November 2021-born bull was by Carrigroe Nationwide going back to a Knockadrinan Bellman J464-bred cow.

John Brennan took home €3,400 for his bull, Moyview Umar, sired by Loughanleigh Pantanna.

Local man

Local man Patrick Farrell sold his son of Coolnahinch Puddle for €3,300, while William Foster sold his son of HF Rebel 53Y for €3,200. Seventeen of the 21 Aberdeen Angus bulls present sold for an average of €3,550.

A small number of four Aberdeen Angus heifers sold to average €2,840 with Dara Diffley and Nigel Cox achieving the top price of €3,000 for their February 2021-born daughter of Dillon New Holland, Duighgiolla Ulrika.

Five Charolais bulls sold to average €2,840, with John and Kevin McDermott taking the top price of €3,100 for his October 2021-bull Ballynabreen Solo sired by Ballym Mylove.

Patrick Farrell sold his Limousin bull sired by Elderberry Galahad for €3,000.

The next show and sale of bulls and heifers will take place in Carrick-on-Shannon for Aberdeen Angus, Hereford and Shorthorn breeds on 8 April, while the show and sale of continental animals will take place on 15 April.