Live streaming helps Limousin sale stay on track
Covid-19 restrictions affected the volume of sales at the opening Limousin Society sale of the year, but live streaming helped secure some strong prices, reports
The pedigree season for Limousin breeders got off to a very challenging start at the Irish Limousin Cattle Society’s opening sale of the year at Roscrea.
Taking place under HSE guidelines on coronavirus control measures, the turnout of both bulls and potential buyers at the Central Auctions venue was well down on previous years.
However, a clearance of 67pc of the bulls on offer, at an average of €3,394 – a shade above €250 back on the average over the past number of years – vindicated the society’s decision to go ahead with the sale.
Live steaming of the proceedings, with facility for both online and telephone bidding, helped aid sales.
Judge for the show was Martin Conway of the noted Craigatoke herd based in Plumbridge, Co Tyrone. He has bred Craigatoke Jack, a stock sire to Dan Tynan’s Ardlea Elite herd in Co Laois.
The trade benefited from strong demand from UK and Northern Ireland customers, with one in three of the bulls sold destined for export at the end of the day.
The top price of the day was recorded for the Senior Champion, Novinchristie Nicholas.
He sold for €8,000 to a
Co Dublin herd.
The August 2018-born champion was bred and exhibited by Noel Barry, Killasser, Swinford, Co Mayo out of his homebred dam, Novinchristie Isadora, and by the sire, Norman Inventor.
He came to the sales ring with five star ratings in replacement index, terminal index, carcass weight, carcass conformation and daughter milk, attracting strong interest and lively bidding.
Next into the sales ring was Reserve Senior Champion, Sliabh Felim Noddy, from Sean Ryan’s herd at Ait Mathuna, Dromsally, Cappamore, Co Limerick.
He bred the overall highest price Limousin of 2019, when his Sliabh Felim Mourinho sold for €11,000.
Noddy was born in August 2018 and has an array of five star ratings, for Terminal and Replacement within the breed and across all breeds. He has the same high score star rating for carcase weight and conformation and a muscle score of 136 which places him in the top 3pc of the breed.
Bred by the popular sire, Ampertaine Foreman, and out of the home bred dam, Jenny, he sold for €5,000, to a Co Armagh buyer.
In the Junior Section, the champion title was awarded to Bos Nero, bred by vet Joe Collins from Clogher, Kilmore, Carrick On Shannon.
The 15-month-old, who has lots of stars to his credit across almost all indices within the breed and across all breeds, was purchased by a Co Galway breeder for €4,400.
Reserve Junior champion, Finboy Nike, was purchased at €4,000 for export to a commercial herd in North Yorkshire.
He was bred by Tom Harney, Moneygall, Co Offaly by the sire, Plumtree Fantastic with Ampertaine Elgin and Grahams Samson also in his lineage.
Seven bulls sold for €4,000 or over with the champion and reserve in both senior and junior sections among them.
Clive Jennings, Boulteen, Enniskeane ,Co Cork with Brooklands Noah winner of the class for bulls born between December 10, 2018 February 19, 2019; (left) Teleri Thomas, Clonguiffen, Longwood, Co Meath with Keltic Nightrider winner of the class for bulls born between September 19, 2018 and October 4, 2018; also pictured is handler J Kelly.
The trade benefitted from strong UK and Northern irish demand with one in three of the bulls sold destined for export.