Buyers flocked from all corners of Ireland to the Society’s first sale of the year in Tullamore Mart last Saturday. The sale was a great success, with a staggering fifteen Charolais bulls selling for €5,000 or more. An average sale price of €4,510 was achieved, with a 70% clearance rate. It was evident that buyers were focusing on Eurostar’s and calving ease figures, as well as quality. High index bulls were in huge demand, leaving breeders with a tough objective of producing bulls with quality and figures going forward.
Roughan Speed
A top price of €8,100 was achieved twice. The first sale topper came in the form of the Senior Champion Roughan Speed, a June 2021 born son of Roughan Pasteur, exhibited by well known County Donegal breeder Pat Mc Clean. This stylish bull boasted a five star terminal index of €133 and a calving figure of 6% on beef cows, along with one copy of the Q204X gene. Speed went North to a suckler herd in County Antrim. The Donegal man also traded Roughan Sinbad for a sum of €5,000. This 20 month old bull is a son of Roughan Justbeau and a home bred cow by Roughan Echo 2. He went to sale with a five star replacement index of €101 and a calving figure of 5.3%. The buyer on this occasion was Niall Fahy from County Galway.
Fieldview Sergio
Selling for the joint top price of €8,100 was Fieldview Sergio, bred and exhibited by David Erskine from County Monaghan. Having picked up the Reserve Junior Championship under Judge Noel Mc Sweeney from County Cork, Sergio went to the ring with an impressive set of indexes accompanied by an eye catching calving figure of 1.9% on beef cows. A son of the French sire Chic and a home bred cow by Goldstar Echo, the Monaghan bred bull attracted significant interest before eventually getting knocked down to Martin Merlehan from County Westmeath.
Fieldview Sailor
Erskine’s success did not stop there, his second offering Fieldview Sailor was knocked down at €5,600 to fellow Mongahan suckler farmer, Trevor Martin. This 17 month old bull is a son of the UK sire Harestone Herculus and a Cavelands Fenian bred dam. He carries one copy of the F94L gene and displayed a calving figure of 5.4% on beef cows. This rounded off a fantastic day’s trading for the Fieldview herd.
Cloughbrack Sinbin
Mattie Kelly from Newbridge in County Galway picked up the Overall Junior Championship with Cloughbrack Sinbin. A son of the home bred Cloughbrack Podge, and a Nippur bred cow, this classy 16 month old bull exchanged hands for a sum of €6,400. The Galway bred bull offered a calving figure of just 2.7% on beef cows, along with a four star replacement and terminal index. He sold North to a herd in County Antrim.
Weskel Sayer was next best in the sales ring at €6,000 for Wesley Kellett from County Cavan. This promising 17 month old bull is a son of Clenagh Lyle and Blelack Digger bred dam. He displayed an abundance of stars along with one copy of both myostatin genes. He was wrapped up by a suckler farmer from County Wicklow. Michael Greene from County Clare was not far behind with Feakle Scott at €5,700. A son of the popular Fiston and a Derryolam Impeccable bred dam, it was fair to say stars were plentiful once again. Scott also carries one copy of both myostatin genes. He was knocked down to a suckler farmer from County Meath.
Caltun Scotty
Martin Calvey from County Mayo enjoyed a successful day’s trading, selling his two bulls for an average of €5,200. First up was Caltun Seamus at €5,400, a 20 month old son of Cavelands Fenian and a Gerard bred dam. He carries one copy of the Q gene and a calving figure of 5.3% on beef cows. His stable mate Caltun Scotty followed closely behind at €5,000. A son of Fleetwood and a CF 52 bred dam, Scotty carries a terminal index of €135 along with one copy of both myostatin genes. Both bulls selling to Southern Ireland suckler farmers.
Caragh Spartacus
Two bulls shared a price tag of €5,200. First up was Clonmahon Smokey exhibited by Eddie Daly from County Meath. This July 2021 born bull is a son of Goldstar Ludwig and displayed a five star terminal index of €148. He sold to a suckler farmer from County Mayo. Also selling at €5,200 was Caragh Spartacus bred by Patrick Dunleavy from County Kildare. This 17 month old son of Fiston offered indexes in abundance along with a calving figure of 3.1% on beef cows. He was snapped up by a suckler man from County Wexford.
Gallaway Steiner
Gallaway Steiner made the journey from County Leitrim worth while for breeder Michael Kiernan, when he romped his way to €5,100. A son of Knockmoyle10 Loki and a TZA bred dam, Stenier displayed a page full of stars along with one copy of the F94L profit gene. Denis Fitzpatrick from County Laois had the final call on this one.
Michael Daniel Daly also received a call of €5,100 for Tullaghan Sirocoo ET, a son of Domino and an Organdi bred dam. This high terminal index bull carries one copy of the Q gene and a massive five star carcass weight figure of +47.9 kgs. He sold to a suckler man from County Longford.
Rathfeston Sean ET
The Reserve Senior Championship went the way of Rathfeston Sean ET, bred and exhibited by Wayne Mulligan from County Offaly. A son of Balmyle Vagabond and an Erckmann bred dam, this 17 month old bull exchanged hands at €4,000.
Other leading prices on the day included:
€5,000 for Topnotch Sinner sired by Bivouac and exhibited by Seamus Mc Cann from County Westmeath
Limkiln Sam
€5,000 for Limkiln Sam sired by Indurain and exhibited by Richard Hackett from County Clare
The next Society sale is the Premier Show and Sale, which will take place in Elphin Mart on Saturday the 18th March. The catalogue for the sale can be found here –Download PDF Catalogue
The Society would like to wish all buyers the very best of luck with their bulls from Saturday’s sale.