The annual Hereford show & Sale was held in Central Auctions Nenagh on Thursday 4^th April. The society welcomed back previous auctioneer Hugh Mulvihill for the start of the sale. Hugh was society auctioneer for a lifetime and was back for one day only. The second half of the sale was conducted by Robert Vere Hunt who came from selling calves in Birr. Robert stated the Hereford calves were a firm favourite in Birr and were selling for upto €350/head. There was a large entry of bulls which owed to a lower than usual clearance rate which was also hindered by the continuous rain increasing pressure on farmers nationwide. The average price of the sale was €3,700 and 90% of bulls that sold – sold for €3,000 and above.

The show kicked off with Michael Dullea judging. Michael runs the Deelish Hereford herd in West Cork and is no stranger to the showring. Michael’s choice of Champion was Woodviewpoll 1 Tomboy by Marshall & David Abbott, Cavan. Tomboy went on to sell for €5,000 to a Pedigree Hereford breeder. Sired by Fisher 1 Profile and bred from a Fabb 1 Northern Star dam. Four stars for the replacement index, five stars for the terminal index and DBI value for €115.

Reserve Champion: Moyclare Winston by Michael Molloy, Offaly – sold for €5,300 to the Hereford Breed Improvement Scheme. Winston was sired by Caislean Jake and bred from UK imported Border Oyster Lass R59. Winston has four stars for the replacement index, five stars for the terminal index, five stars for carcase conformation (+10.2kgs – double the breed average), five stars for carcass conformation, easy calving on beef cows (2%) and beef heifers, DBI value of €124 and easy calving on dairy cows 3.1%. The Breed Improvement Scheme purchased the bull for €5,300.

Drumcarbin Undertaker 2 by Shane McKiernan, Cavan, sold for €4,500. This September 2022 born bull was sired by Breed Improvement sire Battalion Undertaker and bred from a Church Preen Galileo dam, Bellingham Nevin who was All Ireland Champion Heifer in 2018. Undertaker 2 has four stars for the replacement index, five stars for the terminal index, five stars for carcass weight (+12.1kgs) and five stars for milk (+5.9kgs). He is also easy calving at 3.7% for dairy cow calving.

The next best priced on the day was €4,200. Creggpark 1 Tommy ET, by Robert McNevin, is an August 2022 bull, sired by Kinglee 1 Hero and bred from Herberry 1 Lilac Lucy Et. This homozygous polled bull has five stars for the replacement index (€165). This bull has easy calving figures and has a DBI value of €139.

There were two bulls on the day that sold for €4,000. Gurteen College purchased lot 31 – Ballinveney Fugitive, by Rory Farrell. This August 2022 born bull is sired by the Breed Improvement sire; Kaludah Powerhouse and bred from a Ballinveney Nigel dam. Fugitive has five stars for the both the Replacement and the Terminal index along with having +11.1kgs for carcase weight.

Rathnollag Spotlight by Sinead Conry, Roscommon also sold for €4,000. Spotlight is a son of Cill Cormaic Kasper and bred from a Trillick Hotspur dam. Spotlight has five stars for both the Replacement and the Terminal index along with a DBI value of €118 and a dairy cow calving figure of 3.5% and -0.6 days for gestation.

Several bulls sold for €3,800 during the sale also including:

Lot 18, Gurtlaeen Inchvale Gene was sired by Conmelvin Ollie and bred from Droumdaniel Sally 1004. Gene four stars for the Replacement index, Terminal index and carcass conformation. He was sold for €3,800 to a Pedigree Hereford breeder from Clare.

Lot 23, Ballylinepoll 1 General Lee, by Eoin Lynch, Kerry, was sired by Moorside 1 Panda and bred from Donovapoll 1 Princess. This homozygous polled bull has five stars for the replacement index (€167) and is +7.4kgs for milk. This bull sold for €3,800.

Lot 32, Bonleapoll 1 Everest by Peter Cooke, Tipperary. This August 2022 born bull was sired by Gouldingpoll 1 Superstar and bred from an Allowdale Rory 594 dam. Everest has five stars for the replacement index, terminal index, +10.6kgs for carcass weight and +7kgs for milk and -0.5 days gestation.

Corlismorepoll 1 Eddy 211, by Gary McKiernan, Cavan was also sold for €3,800. This Shiloh Farm Dynamite son is bred from a Corlismore Pompeii dam. He has the highest carcase weight of all the bulls catalogued and has a very easy calving figure of 1.7% on beef cows and a DBI value of €103.

Many thanks are extended to the pre-sale inspector Tommy Fitzgerald, the show judge, Michale Dullea, Sale auctioneers, Hugh Mulvihill & Robert Vere Hunt, Central Auctions Nenagh, Shanon Kinahan & the Irish Farmers Journal for the sale photography & coverage and Irish Hereford Prime for their continued sponsorship.