The Irish Limousin Cattle Society’s Premier Heifer sale held last Saturday 5th November at Roscrea mart saw a steady trade for the 52 females sold. Commenting after the sale Breed Secretary Paul Sykes “ we had a steady trade with buyers willing to spend on quality lots, we had both new  and existing breeders purchasing animals. We are witnessing a continual growth in the breed and after last Monday’s bull sale I have no doubt we will see more people wishing to invest in the breed. Pedigree breeding can be a valuable source of income and appeals in particular to people who may have a restricted farm size and wish to boost their financial returns. The most pleasing aspect of today’s sale is the fact that we had a high clearance rate of 84% with an average price of €2,786, it’s great having high prices and high averages but the most important factor is breeders getting their animals sold on the day. Once again like last Monday’s sale breeders are beginning to be rewarded for their investment and efforts in improving the breed ”.

Co Leitrim  breeder Mr Stanley Richardson, Newtowngore having topped the Premier bull sale the previous Monday  continued on a memorable week when he took both the Senior and Junior Female championships with Newtown Elegant ET and Newtown Fruity.

Speculation had been high that the much admired Newtown Fruity would cause a stir when she came to the sales ring and she didn’t disappoint the attendance, bidding was intense but finally after a prolonged battle Fruity was purchased for €12,000 by well known breeder and show man Mr Donal Moloney Co Clare for his Ardnacrusha herd . Fruity who had been awarded the Junior Female championship by the judge Mr James Hazard of the Mereside herd, Grantham, Lincolnshire, had come to the ring with a long list of achievements  including Reserve Junior Female at this year’s Irish Limousin National Championships in Tullamore. By the ever influential sire Wilodge Vantastic and a home bred dam Newtown Rebecca herself by the successful sire Gamin, Fruity also had a 5 star SBV of €101 and had top ratings in Weanling, Beef and Daughter fertility.

Newtown Fruity

The Senior Female Champion Newtown Elegant ET  had an enviable pedigree combining  the Sympa sired Ampertaine Abracadbra and Newtown Clodagh ET who is herself by Cloughhead Lord and by the Ideal 23 dam Castleview Rub who has bred a long line of Roscrea champions. Coming to the ring scanned in calf to the renowned French sire Dauphin there was no doubt that interest was going to be strong however after much bidding Newtown Elegant left the ring unsold at €9,700 after failing to meet her reserve.

Selling at €7,200 was Clonmack Fleur from Mr John Kenny, Dunkerrin, Co Offaly. Fleur who had been purchased by Mr Kenny along with her mother Clonmack Ureka from well known pedigree and commercial breeder Mr Freddie Valette, Coolbawn, Nenagh Co Tipperary .Fleur who once again is by Wilodge Vantastic and has back breeding to top sires Mas Du Clo and Villy came with a 5 star SBV of €113 and top ratings in Weanling, Beef, Fertility & Docility . This quality female who had been awarded Junior Reserve Female Champion in the pre sale show had many admirers and after another prolonged bidding battle she heads to the Ardlea pedigree herd of Mr Dan Tynan, Mountrath, Co. Laois.

Clonmack Fleur

John Green who made the long journey from Carndonagh was well rewarded when his Reserve Senior Champion Greenhill Elegance Et sold for €5100 to Mr Aidan Barnett, Rosenaliss, Co Laois. By the sire of Wilodge Vantastic, Wilodge Tonka and the prolific French dam Natte Elegance Et had earlier in the year been crowned Donegal club calf champion and sold with a 5 star SBV of €128.

Mr Noel Fennessy, Castleconnell, Co Limerick saw two of his entries selling at €4,500. The first Wood Road Eire is by the top AI sire Milbrook Tanko who combines Mas Du Clo & Milbrook Monique and the French Dam  Raquette who had been the Paris Show Champion. With such a pedigree and having a 5 star SBV of €117 and top ratings in most traits including  Milk and Fertility Eire was snapped up by Mr Tim Hogan, Annascaul, Co Kerry.

Wood Road Eire

Mr Fennessy’s second heifer to sell at €4,500 was Wood Road Florence ET by the high profile sire Sympa  and the Festin sired dam Ardnacrusha Violet who herself is by the Paris show champion cow Maguy. Mr Fennessy has sold many high priced animals from this blood line and Florence who sold with a 5 star SBV of €96 joins the pedigree herd of Monaghan breeder Mr Garrett McCullagh, Smithboro, Co. Monaghan.    

Wood Road Florence ET

Enfield breeder Mr Macarten Murphy saw his entry Keltic Electra selling at €4,000 to Mr Philip Lambe, Corlea, Co Monaghan.  Electra had a very interesting pedigree combining her sire Ampertaine Abracadbra and the dam Cwmpedran Beauty who has back breeding to Greenwell Major a son of the famous French sire Igolo. This quality heifer came to the ring with a 5 star SBV of €94 and had top trait ratings including both Milk & Fertility.

Keltic Electra

Also selling at €4,000 was Keeltown Freda from Mr Brendan Hanley, Edgeworthstown, Co Longford, another daughter of Wilodge Fantastic and by the dam Honeylodge Bo Ob who herself is by the top sire Ronick Hawk . Another much admired heifer Freda who sold with a 5 star SBV of €127 with top rating s including Docility was purchased by Mr Tony Glynn, Gort, Co. Galway to join his pedigree herd.

Keeltown Freda

In to sell at €3,600 was Ashleigh Elaine a Milbrook Tanko daughter from Tony & Bridget O’Grady, Julianstown Co Meath. This powerful daughter of the Nadalou dam Ashleigh Una sold with a 3 star SBV of €61 and scanned in calf to the AI sire Requin and heads home to the pedigree herd of Mr Brian McInerney, Sixmilebridge, Co Clare.

Ashleigh Elaine

Mr Gerard Davis Ballinalee saw his entry Castlebrock Flower ET sell for €3,600 to Mr Eugene McIlroy for his Dundalk based pedigree herd. By Wilodge Vantastic and the prolific Festin sired dam Ryehill Ravioli this stylish 1st prize winning heifer sold with a 5 star SBV of €145.

Castlebrock Flower ET

Co. Longford breeders Messrs  John & Stephen Lynch  Ballinalee saw their Wilodge Tonka sired entry Ballianascraw Electric selling at €3,500 to Mr Thomas Holleran, Cong Co Mayo. By the dam Ballinascraw Sapphire who herself is by the top French sire Geannt and back breeding to Ronick Hawk Electric  who had a 4 star SBV of €85 sold in calf to the AI  sire Elite Eramus.

Another female selling at €3,500 was Mount Scott Felicity from Mr Michael Sexton, Mullagh, Co. Clare. By the Tully Champion sire Ardlea Uboy and Mount Scott Diana who herself combines Espoir & Mas Du Clo breeding Felicity sold with a 4 star SBV of €73 and joins the pedigree herd of Mr Michael Fennessy, Ballyduff Co Waterford.

Raymond Bird, Dundalk, Co Louth sold Rathnestin Emerlad at €3,400 to Mr Martin McNulty, Co Clare.

By the top sire Grahams Samson and the dam Bishopland Alice who combines Genial & Ferry back breeding Emerlad sold with a 4 star SBV of €87.

Co Meath breeders Patrick & Hilda McDonnell  saw their entry Baltray Donna 2 sell at €3,100 to Mr Peter Geraghty Moylough for his Co Galway based pedigree herd. Donna who is by the Pelletstown Newman sire Pelletstown Ulex and Baltray Tracey with backbreeding to top French sire Geannt sold with her young calf at foot.

Also selling at €3,100 was Milburn Elin Et from  Richard & Eithne O Beirne Tuam Co Galway. By the French sire Mas Du Clo and the successful French dam 0133 Olympe Elin sold with a 5 star SBV of €96 and heads to Co Galway breeder Mr John Jennings Glenamaddy.

Other top prices:

• Mr Oliver J Byrne €3,000 Ballyquirke Elsie Et  to  Mr Patrick Buckley, Co Westmeath
• Mr Thomas Bailey €3,000  Baileys Fancy Pants  to Mr Frank Byrne, Co Kildare
• Mr Noel Kenny €3,000  Tomriland Flip   To Mr Denver Reid, Co Armagh
• Mr Richard O Beirne €3,000 to Mr Aidan Barnett, Co Laois

At the end of the sale Mr Stanley Richardson saw 2 embryos from Newtown Trixie and Wilodge Cerebrus and 1 embryo from Newtown Clodagh and Sympa selling for €800 each.

John Kenny with judge, James Hazard of the Mereside Herd, UK

The crowded ringside

The last official  Irish Limousin Cattle Society sale of 2011 is on 23rd November in Tullow mart Co Carlow . Enquiries to 025 85036