Around this time last year we spoke to a number of cattle breed societies regarding their outlook for the year ahead. At the time, optimism was high, beef prices were on the rise and Ireland was bluetongue free.
Everything was poised for a year to remember for pedigree cattle breeding, and it did not disappoint.
In years to come they will talk of 2025 as one of the great years for pedigree cattle breeding. Breed societies reported record-breaking clearances and averages, up and down the country.
Favorable weather, a booming beef trade, vibrant export market and rocketing commercial cattle prices paved the way for a ferocious demand for pedigree cattle all year round.
Commercial
For the second year in a row, a commercial show animal realised the highest price of the year when she sold for €33,500 at the Winter Fair in Carrick-on-Shannon, breaking a 20-year-old record price at the showgrounds venue. Polar Bear is a Belgian Blue-cross heifer, bred by the Davis family in Co Galway. Sired by the NCBC sire Tropique, the eight-month-old weanling heifer, weighing 480kg, was secured by Drumroy Ltd in Northern Ireland.
The 2025 Carrick Winter Fair surpassed everyone’s expectations, as 268 weanling heifers averaged €5,700 on the second weekend.
Cartronfree Unbelievable ET, which sold for the highest price of €26,700 at the Society's premier sale in Roscrea. \ Alfie Shaw
Limousin
The highest price paid for a pedigree animal in 2025 was for the Limousin bull Cartronfree Unbelievable ET, when he sold for €26,700 at the Society’s Premier sale in Roscrea in March. Bred and exhibited by John and Martina Browne from Co Longford, Unbelievable is a son of Pabo Rocknroll and the 13,000gns Ampertaine Odell. Adding him to its range of AI sires in Co Tipperary was Dovea Genetics.
On the day, 45 Limousin bulls averaged €5,958, a record average at a Limousin Society sale in Ireland. It didn’t take long for that record to be smashed, however, as 50 Limousin bulls averaged an incredible €7,494 at the Society’s Premier autumn sale at the same venue in October.
Clonagh Sammy Fabulous, shown by Cathal O'Meara, was senior male champion and sold for the highest price of €25,000 at the Society's premier sale in October. \ Willie McElroy
Simmental
Knocking on the door at €25,000 was Garrett and Lyndsey Behan’s Clonagh Sammy Fabulous when he sold at the Simmental Society’s Premier autumn sale in Roscommon Mart in October.
Having awarded him the overall champion at the FBD National Livestock Show in Tullamore in August, UK judge Hazel McNee later purchased Sammy Fabulous to run with her Finlarg pedigree herd in Scotland. Outside of the champion, the day belonged to the females, as 60 Simmental heifers averaged a whopping €5,703.
Mogeely Miylo V647 sold for the highest price of €20,800 at the Mogeely dispersal in July. \ MacGregor Photography
Aberdeen Angus
The Angus breed enjoyed another fantastic year of sales, which featured a number of high-profile dispersals. Producing a record-breaking average of €7,700 was the Mogeely herd owned by Albert and Jennifer DeCogan in Co Cork, who bowed out with a online timed auction in July.
The sale saw buyers come from all over Europe and the UK, with a top-price of €20,800 paid for Mogeely Miylo V647. Offering buyers a massive set of Euro-star indexes, the six-year-old daughter of Rosemead Karona was knocked down to a consortium of artificial insemination (AI) companies. This was followed by another flying trade for heifers at the Irish Aberdeen Angus Extravaganza sale in Mid-Tipp Mart, Thurles, in October. The Irish Angus Cattle Society produced one of its best sales to date at December’s Elite sale in Carrick-on-Shannnon, as 33 Angus bulls averaged €5,840.
Lahinch Vincent, shown by Oliver Connolly, sold for €16,100 at the Society's premier sale in March. \ Kathryn Shaw
Charolais
Prices for Charolais bulls peaked at €16,100 for Lahinch Vincent which sold at the Society’s Premier sale in Elphin Mart in March. Bred by Oliver Connolly in Co Mayo, the 14-month-old Leopard son was snapped up by a commercial herd in Scotland.
In December, 57 Charolais bulls averaged €7,230 at the Society’s Christmas Cracker sale in Elphin Mart, setting a new record average at a Charolais Society sale in Ireland.
Appel Uno PP was overall champion and sold for the highest price of €9,100 at the Irish Hereford Breed Society's premier autumn sale. \ Tricia Kennedy
Hereford
Trade was blazing at the Irish Hereford Breed Society’s premier sale at Golden Vale Mart, Tullamore, in March. The Society produced one of its best sales on record, with an average of €5,039 achieved for 23 bulls.
In October at the same venue, the Society’s Premier autumn sale produced an average of €5,545 and the highest price of the year in the form of €9,100 for Appel Uno PP brought to auction by John Appelbe from Co Cork.
A son of Solpoll 1 Lawman, the multi-award-winning Uno was acquired by the Corlismore pedigree herd in Co Cavan.
Ballyconneely Tinkerbell, with her heifer calf Ballyconneely Valery, sold for the top price of €6,050 at the Irish Aubrac Cattle Society's sale in October.
Shorthorn
A similar trend continued at the Irish Shorthorn Cattle Society’s Premier sale in Carrick-on-Shannon in November, where a male record price of €7,100 was paid for a Shorthorn bull. The property of Anthony Dockery from Co Roscommon, the record-breaking Rockville Ramsey is a son of Glann Jenson and was just 12-months-old on sale day.
The much-anticipated production sale from the Ricketstown herd set a new record average for a Shorthorn sale in Ireland at €5,007, as well as putting down a marker of €8,300 for a Shorthorn heifer.
William Murphy with the top-priced Salers heifer at the society's annual sale in Gort Mart, which sold for €5,900. \ Tricia Kennedy
Outlook for 2026
But 2025 is now a distant memory and 2026 is already bringing its challenges. The first confirmed case of bluetongue in Ireland changes the game considerably for pedigree sales.
At present, exports of live animals from Ireland to Northern Ireland and Britain are suspended. This poses massive challenges for pedigree breeders and breed societies, especially the continental breeds, such as the Simmental, Charolais and Limousin.
At the Irish Simmental Cattle Society’s Premier sale in October, over one-quarter of the 81 animals sold went for export to Northern Ireland and Britain, including four of the five highest-priced cattle on the day.
Also at that venue in March at the Society’s premier spring sale, four out of the five highest-priced animals went for export to Northern Ireland and Britain.
At the Irish Charolais Cattle Society’s premier sale in March both the highest-priced bull and the highest-priced heifer went for export to Scotland and Northern Ireland, as UK buyers lit up the sale. It was a similar story at the Society’s calf show and sale in Carrick-on-Shannon in September, with the three highest -priced heifer calves selling to a herd in the UK.
Not to mention home sales and the number of bulls and heifers which go for export every year to Northern Ireland from the Midland and Western Livestock Improvement Society sales at the showgrounds in Carrick-on-Shannon.
At this stage, exports of live cattle from Ireland to other EU countries are permitted, but are subject to certain conditions, depending on the country of destination. These markets are also extremely important for pedigree breeders, as seen at many of the Angus sales in 2025.
Rockville Ramsey, shown by Aaron Dockery, which sold for a Irish male record price of €7,100 at the Society's premier autumn sale in Carrick-on-Shannon. \ Chloe Goggins
Optimism
There is some positivity however. The beef prices seen in 2025 remain strong and show no signs of retreating. Although the importation of live cattle from Britain and Northern Ireland into Ireland is suspended, the importation of germinal products, such as semen and embryos, are permitted, which will greatly benefit breeders sourcing new genetics.
This time last year breeders were still coming to terms with the changes made to the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) Euro-star indexes in November 2023. Many felt aggrieved with the changes at the time, especially continental breeders, as it was felt the changes favored the more traditional breeds of cattle.
Angus bulls soared to the top of the active bull lists, especially on the replacement list, as Charolais and Simmental bulls plummeted.
Fast forward two years to September 2025 when the ICBF made a number of key changes and updates to the Indexes. These included updating economic values, the inclusion of suckler cow and calf weights from the BEEP and SCEP schemes, and amendments to how foreign data is integrated into the evaluations.
The outcome has been welcomed by most breed societies as a step in the right direction, as the improvements have brought about some form of stability.
Angus bulls still dominate the replacement and dairy-beef lists along with Limousin, but there has been a resurgence of Charolais and Belgian Blues bulls back up the terminal lists, much to the delight of many continental breeders.
Although there are still anomalies with the indexes, especially around how foreign data, most breeders will agree they are in a better place than 12 months ago.
Conclusion
At this stage, it is difficult to see 2026 living up to the highs witnessed in 2025. There is no doubt live exports of cattle to Northern Ireland and Britain are vital for pedigree cattle sales, especially the top-end cattle in all breeds.
How the bluetongue situation plays out over the coming weeks and months will determine a lot for pedigree cattle sales in 2026.
That said, as long as beef prices hold firm, it should be another good year for pedigree cattle breeders, overall.
Around this time last year we spoke to a number of cattle breed societies regarding their outlook for the year ahead. At the time, optimism was high, beef prices were on the rise and Ireland was bluetongue free.
Everything was poised for a year to remember for pedigree cattle breeding, and it did not disappoint.
In years to come they will talk of 2025 as one of the great years for pedigree cattle breeding. Breed societies reported record-breaking clearances and averages, up and down the country.
Favorable weather, a booming beef trade, vibrant export market and rocketing commercial cattle prices paved the way for a ferocious demand for pedigree cattle all year round.
Commercial
For the second year in a row, a commercial show animal realised the highest price of the year when she sold for €33,500 at the Winter Fair in Carrick-on-Shannon, breaking a 20-year-old record price at the showgrounds venue. Polar Bear is a Belgian Blue-cross heifer, bred by the Davis family in Co Galway. Sired by the NCBC sire Tropique, the eight-month-old weanling heifer, weighing 480kg, was secured by Drumroy Ltd in Northern Ireland.
The 2025 Carrick Winter Fair surpassed everyone’s expectations, as 268 weanling heifers averaged €5,700 on the second weekend.
Cartronfree Unbelievable ET, which sold for the highest price of €26,700 at the Society's premier sale in Roscrea. \ Alfie Shaw
Limousin
The highest price paid for a pedigree animal in 2025 was for the Limousin bull Cartronfree Unbelievable ET, when he sold for €26,700 at the Society’s Premier sale in Roscrea in March. Bred and exhibited by John and Martina Browne from Co Longford, Unbelievable is a son of Pabo Rocknroll and the 13,000gns Ampertaine Odell. Adding him to its range of AI sires in Co Tipperary was Dovea Genetics.
On the day, 45 Limousin bulls averaged €5,958, a record average at a Limousin Society sale in Ireland. It didn’t take long for that record to be smashed, however, as 50 Limousin bulls averaged an incredible €7,494 at the Society’s Premier autumn sale at the same venue in October.
Clonagh Sammy Fabulous, shown by Cathal O'Meara, was senior male champion and sold for the highest price of €25,000 at the Society's premier sale in October. \ Willie McElroy
Simmental
Knocking on the door at €25,000 was Garrett and Lyndsey Behan’s Clonagh Sammy Fabulous when he sold at the Simmental Society’s Premier autumn sale in Roscommon Mart in October.
Having awarded him the overall champion at the FBD National Livestock Show in Tullamore in August, UK judge Hazel McNee later purchased Sammy Fabulous to run with her Finlarg pedigree herd in Scotland. Outside of the champion, the day belonged to the females, as 60 Simmental heifers averaged a whopping €5,703.
Mogeely Miylo V647 sold for the highest price of €20,800 at the Mogeely dispersal in July. \ MacGregor Photography
Aberdeen Angus
The Angus breed enjoyed another fantastic year of sales, which featured a number of high-profile dispersals. Producing a record-breaking average of €7,700 was the Mogeely herd owned by Albert and Jennifer DeCogan in Co Cork, who bowed out with a online timed auction in July.
The sale saw buyers come from all over Europe and the UK, with a top-price of €20,800 paid for Mogeely Miylo V647. Offering buyers a massive set of Euro-star indexes, the six-year-old daughter of Rosemead Karona was knocked down to a consortium of artificial insemination (AI) companies. This was followed by another flying trade for heifers at the Irish Aberdeen Angus Extravaganza sale in Mid-Tipp Mart, Thurles, in October. The Irish Angus Cattle Society produced one of its best sales to date at December’s Elite sale in Carrick-on-Shannnon, as 33 Angus bulls averaged €5,840.
Lahinch Vincent, shown by Oliver Connolly, sold for €16,100 at the Society's premier sale in March. \ Kathryn Shaw
Charolais
Prices for Charolais bulls peaked at €16,100 for Lahinch Vincent which sold at the Society’s Premier sale in Elphin Mart in March. Bred by Oliver Connolly in Co Mayo, the 14-month-old Leopard son was snapped up by a commercial herd in Scotland.
In December, 57 Charolais bulls averaged €7,230 at the Society’s Christmas Cracker sale in Elphin Mart, setting a new record average at a Charolais Society sale in Ireland.
Appel Uno PP was overall champion and sold for the highest price of €9,100 at the Irish Hereford Breed Society's premier autumn sale. \ Tricia Kennedy
Hereford
Trade was blazing at the Irish Hereford Breed Society’s premier sale at Golden Vale Mart, Tullamore, in March. The Society produced one of its best sales on record, with an average of €5,039 achieved for 23 bulls.
In October at the same venue, the Society’s Premier autumn sale produced an average of €5,545 and the highest price of the year in the form of €9,100 for Appel Uno PP brought to auction by John Appelbe from Co Cork.
A son of Solpoll 1 Lawman, the multi-award-winning Uno was acquired by the Corlismore pedigree herd in Co Cavan.
Ballyconneely Tinkerbell, with her heifer calf Ballyconneely Valery, sold for the top price of €6,050 at the Irish Aubrac Cattle Society's sale in October.
Shorthorn
A similar trend continued at the Irish Shorthorn Cattle Society’s Premier sale in Carrick-on-Shannon in November, where a male record price of €7,100 was paid for a Shorthorn bull. The property of Anthony Dockery from Co Roscommon, the record-breaking Rockville Ramsey is a son of Glann Jenson and was just 12-months-old on sale day.
The much-anticipated production sale from the Ricketstown herd set a new record average for a Shorthorn sale in Ireland at €5,007, as well as putting down a marker of €8,300 for a Shorthorn heifer.
William Murphy with the top-priced Salers heifer at the society's annual sale in Gort Mart, which sold for €5,900. \ Tricia Kennedy
Outlook for 2026
But 2025 is now a distant memory and 2026 is already bringing its challenges. The first confirmed case of bluetongue in Ireland changes the game considerably for pedigree sales.
At present, exports of live animals from Ireland to Northern Ireland and Britain are suspended. This poses massive challenges for pedigree breeders and breed societies, especially the continental breeds, such as the Simmental, Charolais and Limousin.
At the Irish Simmental Cattle Society’s Premier sale in October, over one-quarter of the 81 animals sold went for export to Northern Ireland and Britain, including four of the five highest-priced cattle on the day.
Also at that venue in March at the Society’s premier spring sale, four out of the five highest-priced animals went for export to Northern Ireland and Britain.
At the Irish Charolais Cattle Society’s premier sale in March both the highest-priced bull and the highest-priced heifer went for export to Scotland and Northern Ireland, as UK buyers lit up the sale. It was a similar story at the Society’s calf show and sale in Carrick-on-Shannon in September, with the three highest -priced heifer calves selling to a herd in the UK.
Not to mention home sales and the number of bulls and heifers which go for export every year to Northern Ireland from the Midland and Western Livestock Improvement Society sales at the showgrounds in Carrick-on-Shannon.
At this stage, exports of live cattle from Ireland to other EU countries are permitted, but are subject to certain conditions, depending on the country of destination. These markets are also extremely important for pedigree breeders, as seen at many of the Angus sales in 2025.
Rockville Ramsey, shown by Aaron Dockery, which sold for a Irish male record price of €7,100 at the Society's premier autumn sale in Carrick-on-Shannon. \ Chloe Goggins
Optimism
There is some positivity however. The beef prices seen in 2025 remain strong and show no signs of retreating. Although the importation of live cattle from Britain and Northern Ireland into Ireland is suspended, the importation of germinal products, such as semen and embryos, are permitted, which will greatly benefit breeders sourcing new genetics.
This time last year breeders were still coming to terms with the changes made to the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) Euro-star indexes in November 2023. Many felt aggrieved with the changes at the time, especially continental breeders, as it was felt the changes favored the more traditional breeds of cattle.
Angus bulls soared to the top of the active bull lists, especially on the replacement list, as Charolais and Simmental bulls plummeted.
Fast forward two years to September 2025 when the ICBF made a number of key changes and updates to the Indexes. These included updating economic values, the inclusion of suckler cow and calf weights from the BEEP and SCEP schemes, and amendments to how foreign data is integrated into the evaluations.
The outcome has been welcomed by most breed societies as a step in the right direction, as the improvements have brought about some form of stability.
Angus bulls still dominate the replacement and dairy-beef lists along with Limousin, but there has been a resurgence of Charolais and Belgian Blues bulls back up the terminal lists, much to the delight of many continental breeders.
Although there are still anomalies with the indexes, especially around how foreign data, most breeders will agree they are in a better place than 12 months ago.
Conclusion
At this stage, it is difficult to see 2026 living up to the highs witnessed in 2025. There is no doubt live exports of cattle to Northern Ireland and Britain are vital for pedigree cattle sales, especially the top-end cattle in all breeds.
How the bluetongue situation plays out over the coming weeks and months will determine a lot for pedigree cattle sales in 2026.
That said, as long as beef prices hold firm, it should be another good year for pedigree cattle breeders, overall.
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