The Irish Charolais Cattle Society held its first bull sale of 2022 in Tullamore Mart, Co Offaly, on Saturday 26 February.

While there were 91 bulls catalogued for the sale, a number of bulls were missing due to home sales and also being entered for the society’s premier sales in Elphin on 19 March.

There were 64 bulls forward for sale, with just 34 bulls finding new homes with the clearance rate coming in at 53%.

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The senior championship line-up in Tullamore on Saturday 26 February.

The average price came in at €3,614, back €155/head on the same sale in 2021 which was held 100% online due to COVID-19.

There was a few highlights. Young judges the McGovern sisters from the Rotary herd in Tyrone tapped out Grangwood Rock on Barney ET as their junior champion and he went on to get the top price of the sale with Tom Cox dropping the hammer at €8,000.

The October 2020-born son of the popular Goldstar Echo is out of Picasso-bred cow and he came with a five star terminal index of €155, coupled with a calving difficulty figure of 7.8%. He travelled north of the border to Fermanagh suckler farmer Ian Brock.

Longford man Michael Hanlon secured the senior championship with his August 2020-born bull by Doonally New and out of a Nanouk cow. Ballinroey Rock ET has a five star terminal index of €160 coupled with a calving figure of 8.8%. He was sold to another Northern customer from Newry for €5,700.

Laois breeder Catherine Sheeran had a great day’s trading taking home €6,000 and €4,600 for her two July 2020-born bulls.

For the full sale report with photos and prices pick up a copy of this week’s Irish Farmers Journal.