Above: Sale topper Liss Bullseye X028 who sold for €5,000
The Irish Aberdeen Angus Association hosted their premier sale in Central Auctions Nenagh on Thursday 5th May with the exceptional trade witnessed for Angus bulls well and truly continuing.
In short average rose by over €900 on the year with a further eight bulls selling.
An entry of 30 bulls were catalogued but strong on farm sales meant that 19 were presented for sale on the day. Of these 19 on offer, 18 found new homes to record a clearance rate of 95% with a massive average of €3,450. This is up from €2,545 in 2021 and €2,200 in 2019. The 2020 sale didn’t take place due to Covid-19.
An extraordinary fact is that 78% of the bulls sold at this year’s premier made more than the top priced bull at the 2021 premier sale.
Continuing their strong run of bull sales were John and Sean McEnroe of the Liss herd in Oldcastle, Co Meath. Haven taken the top three prices at the Associations sale in Tullow two weeks previous, the duo were back in force and claimed two of the top three prices in Nenagh.
Leading the prices with a call of €5,000 was the January 2021 born Liss Bullseye X028. Sired by the herds stock bull Cairnton Kilimanjaro U435, he is out of Liss Darl R561 bred dam Liss Biluri V852. This double five-star bull ranked in the top 5% of the breed for Dairy Beef Index and found a new home with a local farmer.
Securing the second top price of €4,700 was Masreagh Mr Essence W261. This bull was bred and exhibited by John McDermott, Skreen, Co Sligo and is a son of the highly popular AI bull Cornamuckla Lord Hardy K222. Carrying a Dairy Beef index of €105, he ranked in the top 5% of the breed.
As both the high sellers carried the highest Dairy Beef Indexes of the sale, the purchasers received €500 back on their purchase. This was kindly sponsored by Angus Beef Ireland and the Irish Aberdeen Angus Association.
Next in the strong line of prices was Liss Donald Duck X026 who hit the market at €4,200. This January 2021 born bull is again sired by Killimanjaro and carried five stars across breed on the replacement index. The last of the McEnroe bulls on offer, Liss Mega X030 met his reserve at €3,800.
Tasked with judging this year’s premier was Jim Forrestal of the Curraheen herd based in Kilkenny. He found his champion as the oldest bull on offer, Pubblestown Eddie W265. This August 2020 born bull was bred and exhibited by Meath based John Canty. Sired by the herds stock bull Dunleaver Porter R772 he is out of a Mogeely Joe H979 bred dam. The first lot into the ring he got the sale into full swing selling for €3,600.
Standing reserve to Canty was Crann Mor Lord Juggernaut X021. This bull was bred by Conor Byrne, Drumshaughlin, Co Meath and was exhibited by farm manager Niall Lynch. Born March 2021, this five-star bull is a son of stock bull Coraghy Ronaldo with Luddenmore Kallosal on the dams side. Carrying a DBI in the top 10% of the breed he was knocked down at €4,100.
John McDermott was back in the money when he sold Masreagh Paddy X269 for €4,000. This March 2021 born bull is sired by the herds stock bull Jadam Mattie U128 with Musicfield Rambo S587 on the dam’s side. Out of a first calver who calved at 22 months, he carried four stars on the terminal index.
