Laheens Promise, which sold for €4,800, exhibited by breeder Cormac Duignan.
The continental breeds took pride of place in Carrick-on-Shannon last weekend for the Midland and Western Livestock Improvement Society’s April sale.
The majority of bulls on offer were of the Charolais breed, with a total of 24 going under the hammer of auctioneer Francie McGowan.
Of these, 19 sold for a strong average price of €2,950.
This average is up a massive €300 on the same sale in 2019, with last year s called off due to restrictions.
Top call
This average was helped by three of the bulls sold making €4,000 or more.
Top of these was a call of €4,800 for Laheens Promise from the herd of local breeders Cathal and Cormac Duignan.
Laheens Promise sold for the top price of €4,800
On Saturday (April 10), the Midlands and Western Livestock Society hosted its April multi-breed pedigree sale of Charolais, Limousin and Simmental cattle.
Overall, there was a 78% clearance rate achieved on the day.
Starting with the Charolais – out of the 43 bulls catalogued, 22 bulls were presented for sale on Saturday. It is presumed that the number of absent bulls had been sold at home prior to the sale.
Only four Charolais bulls failed to meet their reserve, with the average price equating close to €2,900/head. One Charolais heifer was also sold on Saturday.
From the selection of seven Limousin bulls, only two bulls did not find a new home. These males sold at an average of €2,410/head.
A final bid of €8,600 from a young livestock breeder at the ringside secured the much-admired price topping bull at the Irish Angus Cattle Society Elite Sale at the Showgrounds, Carrick-on-Shannon on Saturday.
Fifteen-month-old Ernehill Samson, bred by Francis and Noel Fitzpatrick, Milltown, Belturbet, Co. Cavan received a flurry of bids from both the restricted ringside attendance and online breeders before auctioneer Francis McGowan knocked him down to his new home in the mid-west.
The bull was bred by the sire Ballymagrine Wonder, a son of Bohey Jasper, and out of the home bred dam Ernehill Niamh and carries five stars all the way for docility, carcase weight and conformation.