While there were plenty of customers for shorthorn heifers at the Irish Shorthorn Society’s premier sale in Roscommon on Saturday, bulls were a hard sell. Just 4 out of the 14 bulls put forward for sale found a new home with a sale clearance rate of 28% down 9% on last year’s clearance of 37%. Sale average was down almost €1,000/head year-on-year on a difficult day for bulls.

Top price of the day went to Martin Kelly for his in-calf heifer selling for €3,500

Top price of the sale went to Martin Kelly, Rathvilly, Co. Carlow for his bull Ricketstown Navigator. This February 2019 bull was by Podehole Elite and sold for €1,700. Both the male champion and reserve male champion went home unsold having failed to meet their reserve selling price.

Heifers

In the heifer section, clearance rate was up to 75% from last year’s clearance rate of 58% but the average sale price of €1,795 was back over €200 on the 2018 average of €2,050 for females.

Top price in the female section went to Lot 1 Ricketstown Phantasy Lucy P from Martin Kelly, Rathvilly, Co. Carlow. This November 2017-born Knockenjig Hercules sired heifer was sold in-calf to Podehole Elite. She was sold for €3,500.

Lot 8 Rowanberry Magical (RO), a February 2018 born maiden heifer sold for €2,200.

One of the highlights in the female section was Lot 48 Bellevue Doris (RO). This March 2019-born heifer was bred by Jim and Mary Kilcullen, Grangemore, Templeboy, Co. Sligo. She is by Dunsyre Konstantin (P). The first prize winner was sold for €2,750. See the full sale report in this weeks Irish Farmers Journal