The Limousin spring sales got off to a flying
start on Mon 3rd. March 2008 with a very steady trade for the
massive yard of bulls on offer (155 catalogued). The high prices
of the past two years Premier sales were not seen but an excellent
overall trade was evident for both bulls and heifers.
The big talking
point after the sale in Roscrea Livestock Mart on Monday 3rd
March was the twenty one pedigree Limousin cattle sold for export.
The transport organised and paid for by the Irish Limousin Cattle
Society was seen as a major advantage for incoming buyers knowing
their new animal would be delivered home safely.
The sale for
males resulted in an average price of 3,441 for the big entry of bulls (down 700 on corresponding sale last year) to result in a 65% clearance rate. Breed Secretary Dr. Ger Ryan commenting on the sale An excellent overall days trading with numerous bulls in the 3,000 - 5,000 bracket. Exceptional demand for heifers shows the level of interest in the breed. The excellent export demand is very heartening for the Limousin breed in Ireland.
Top price for a bull of 8,000
went to Crocan Bruce from Henry
Barrett, Belmullet, Co. Mayo with his November 2006 born bull.
A son of Nenuphar out of a home bred dam Crocan Tulip, a Dauphin
daughter. A first prize-winner and awarded Senior Male Champion
by the show judge Mr. Stephen Illingworth of the Glenrock herd
in Scotland. Only six months earlier Crocan Bruce was awarded
Overall Male Champion and Reserve Overall Champion at the National
Limousin Show 2007. The show record and pedigree was also matched
by his genetic indices putting him in the top 1% of the breed
for BLUP muscle figures and a five star bull for suckler beef
value and beef carcass. This overall package convinced Peter
McKay, Newtownards, Co. Down to buy him for his commercial suckler
herd.
Crocan Bruce (Nenuphar x Dauphin)
|
The next highest price of 6,800 went to well known Roscommon breeder
Bertie Mannion with Ballyline Bosco. A late October son of Rocky,
the NCBC based bull is producing top priced commercial and
pedigree Limousin cattle he is out of a home bred cow Ballyline
Ulanda a Mas du Clo daughter going back to Dauphin. Top genetic
indices for BLUP and five star Eurostar indices were again order
of the day. This pedigree packed with muscle lead to Carlow dairy
and suckler farmer William Smith, Old Leighlin to purchase this
magnificent animal.
Ballyline Bosco (Rocky x Mas
du Clo)
|
Hitting the 6,100 mark was Marshall
Abbott, Killeshandra, Co. Cavan with Woodview Basil. A November
2006 born son of Millbrook Tanko and out of Krugin Shirley, a Pelletstown
Kasper daughter. A five star bull in all except one of the Eurostar
traits this first prize-winner certainly caught the attention of
the audience before selling to Kevin O Brien, Doolin, Co. Clare
to join his commercial suckler herd.
Woodview Basil
(Millbrook Tanko x Pelletstown
Kasper)
|
The 6,000 price tag was shared
between three bulls in the names
of Carrefour Bertie, Mount Scott Big Boy and Drummin Bandit.
Carrefour
Bertie came from local breeder John Kenny, Dunkerrin, Birr, Co.
Offaly and was a second prize-winner in the presale show. Bertie
was an August 2006 born son and first sale from his new stock bull
Elite Popsi, a Ferry son and out of Elite Riva, an Espoir daughter
bought at one of the Ardlea-Elite annual production sales. High
indices for both BLUP (top 1% for muscle) and five star Eurostar
indices were evident. This overall package convinced pedigree breeders
Noel & Theresa O Brien, Killaloe, Co. Tipperary to buy him for
their Ryninch pedigree herd.
Carrefour Bertie
(Elite Popsi x Espoir)
|
Mount Scott Big Boy was the second hitting the 6,000 mark for
breeder Michael Sexton, Mullagh, Co. Clare. A late October 2006
son of previous herd stock sire Gamin he is out of homebred dam
Mount Scott Roisin, an Espoir daughter. He now heads to the commercial
herd of Aidan Moloney, Castletowngeoghan, Co. Westmeath for crossing
on his Limousin cross cows.
Mount Scott Big Boy (Gamin
x Espoir)
|
The final bull at this price was Drummin
Bandit from John McInerney,
Newmarket on Fergus, Co. Clare. A December 2006 born son of Navarin
he is out of a homebred cow Drummin Peach, a Moustic daughter who
has produced numerous high priced cattle to date. An impeccable
show career at local shows firstly culminating in a first prize
at the National Limousin Show 2007 with a red rosette also at the
pre sale show. He now heads to the pedigree herd of Peter Walker
in Scotland.
Drummin Bandit (Navarin
x Moustic)
|
Other interesting facts from the sale:
Nenuphar sired
the Senior Male and Junior Male Champions.
The Ardlea-Elite
pen of bulls generated enormous interest selling six of their bulls
to average 4,220.
Other leading male prices:
5,600 to William Smith, Oldcastle for a son of Millbrook Tanko
5,500 to Bernadette Tynan, Mountrath for a son of Picador
5,400 to Connell Bros., Oldcastle for a son of Nenuphar
5,100 to William Smith, Oldcastle for a son of Nenuphar
5,000 to Richard O Beirne, Tuam for a son of Mas du Clo
5,000 to Bernadette Tynan for a son of Nenuphar
5,000 to John Greene, Culdaff for a son of Nelson
5,000 to Tim & Doreen Corridan, Fedamore for a son of Ramses
5,000 to Dan Tynan, Mountrath for a son of Pelletstown Valour
5,000 to Thomas Bailey, Batterstown for a son of Pacha 19
Females:
The demand for pedigree females was phenomenal with a massive crowd
waiting until the very last animal left the sales ring as darkness began to
fall upon Roscrea Livestock Mart. New breeders entering the breed and existing
breeders wishing to expand drove the demand for heifers at Roscrea. The sale
resulted in an average price of 2,991 (down 9 on corresponding sale last
year) but with an exceptional rate of 82%.
Top price on the day and in the female
section of 9,000 went to
the very nice Castleboy Ber from Peter Kelly, Kilchreest, Co. Galway.
A November 2006 born heifer she was a first prize-winner and Female
Champion in the presale show selected by judge Stephen Illingworth.
Homebred breeding was in this heifers pedigree being a daughter
of Peters stockbull Castleboy Ulex, a Mas du Clo son and out of
homebred cow Castleboy Tamara, a Faignant daughter. Excellent five
star Eurostar traits for suckler beef value, calving traits, weanling
export and beef carcass were in her indices. The frantic bidding
for this heifer saw the hammer fall quickly to pedigree breeder
Thomas Greaney, Ballintubber, Tuam, Co. Galway to join his Ballintubber
Herd.
Castleboy Ber ( Castleboy Ulex x Faignant)
|
Hot on her heels was the 6,000 Reserve Female Champion Millburn
Bethany from Richard O Beirne, Tuam, Co. Galway. An early October
2006 heifer she boasts a fine ancestry being a daughter of Mas
du Clo and out of French imported cow Olympe who has bred bulls
to 14,000. A first prize-winner on the day and a prize-winner
in the group classes in the National Limousin Show 2007. Exceptional
BLUP index of 148 of muscle and 130 for docility put her firmly
in the top 1% of the breed. She now heads to the pedigree herd
of P.J. McCann, Freffans, Trim, Co. Meath to join their Freffans
pedigree herd.
Millburn Bethany (Mas
du Clo x Olympe)
|
Hitting the 4,500 mark was Moloskey B-455 from Brendan Clancy,
Mullagh, Co. Clare. A late August 2006 born heifer she is a son
of Rocky and out of a homebred cow Moloskey Tina, a Gamin daughter.
A second prize-winner with five star Eurostar indices she now heads
to the pedigree herd of Alistair Graham, Tandragee, Co. Armagh.
Other leading female prices:
4,400 to James Wycherley, Lislevane for a daughter of Ronick Hawk
3,300 to Mary King, Templemore for a daughter of Highlander
3,000 to Colin Hogg, Clonlara for a daughter of Nestor
2,900 to Colin Hogg, Clonlara for a daughter of Soda
