A renowned prize-winning Donegal breeder swept the boards at the Irish Aubrac Cattle Society’s premier show in Offaly at the weekend.
John Walsh’s ‘Ballintra Tania’ (main pic) was tapped out as the sale’s overall supreme champion at Tullamore Mart, before selling for the highest female price of the day of €4,100.
Born in February 2023, she is by a French imported stock sire, Marquis, and a French imported dam. She was selected as the first prize-winning in her overall class, for 2023-born heifers.
Walsh, of EWS Butchers, also pocketed €4,000 for his sole bull offering, ‘Ballintra Tobi’ who placed fourth in his class on Saturday. Born in March 2023, he is by Delrieu Miami and a Caporal-sired home-bred dam.
He also secured €2,500 ‘Ballintra Tamara’, a January 2023-born Marquis daughter out of a home-bred Delrieu Miam’s daughter.
Meanwhile, his ‘Ballintra Tonia’ born in March 2023, by Delrieu Miami and a French import dam sold for €2,200, according to the Irish Aubrac Cattle Society.
His ‘Ballintra Tory’, born in March 2023, out of Marquis and a home-bred Despagnou daughter, fetched €2,350.
His second prize winner, March 2023-born ‘Ballintra Tracey’, her half- sister, out of a home-bred dam by Johnstown Harry 6014, saw a hammer price of €2,550. Lot 38, Hazelwood Tori, out of Marquis and a home-bred Delrieu Miami daughter, changed hands for €2,000.
Their final two lots to cross the scales, ‘Ballintra Tracie’, born in May 2023, out of Marquis and a home-bred Drakkar dam, sold for €2,350, while lot 45, Ballintra Tobey, made €2,150.
This rounded off the day’s trading for Walsh, who pocketed €4,000 for his bull.
In total, Walsh averaged €2,456/hd for female lots, while he averaged €2,627/head for nine lots (including his bull).
Summary: Two bulls sold for €5,000, while the highest-priced maiden heifer fetched €4,100, the top-priced in-calf heifer sold for €4,000, and the top-priced weanling heifer changed hands for €1,750.
Compared to 2023 returns, the average for bulls was up a notable €840/head, while the average weanling heifer price rose by €485/head, and maiden heifers levelled at €220/hd, more, on average.
Out of the 43 pre-selected lots presented for sale by thirteen herds, just one animal returned unsold.
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