Demand was strong across the board at the recent sale of Angus, Hereford and Limousin bulls in Kilkenny Livestock Mart.

The average sale price for the three breeds was up over €1,000 on the same sale last year, with a total of 41 bulls trading out of the 51 bulls on offer.

Trade peaked at €7,100 for the Angus bull Liscolvin Washington, exhibited by Co Roscommon breeder Martin Garvey.

A son Mogeely Frederic V659, this November 2023-born bull carries a five-star dairy beef index (DBI) of €149, along with below-average calving figures across beef and dairy and went home with a dairy farmer from Co Carlow.

Garvey also traded Liscolvin Wolfgang at €5,150, an October 2023-born son of Drumcrow Reeko.

Next best in the Angus ring was Clooncolligan West 504 at €6,700. This December 2023-born bull is a son of Ballyart Talisman ET, going back to a homebred dam by Drumsna Pat.

Carrying a five-star replacement index of €158 and a four-star terminal index of €83, he caught the eye of a dairy farmer from Co Kildare.

Nigel Peavoy from Co Laois received €6,100 for Coolrain Willy, an 18-month-old son of Intelagri Matteo ET and a Westellen Diego-bred dam.

Willy had stars to burn, displaying five-star indexes across most traits, making him an attractive option for dairy farmer Des Tobin from Co Wexford.

Nigel also parted company with Coolrain Americano at €6,000, one of the younger lots on the day at just over 12 months old.

He is a son of Coolrain Victor and offered buyers a massive terminal index of €108.

A total of 23 Angus bulls sold for an average of €4,698, up over €1,600 on the same sale last year.

Hereford

Over in the Hereford ring, Co Laois breeder John Paul Scott achieved the highest price of €6,000 with Athgreine Pride 286 HH.

Born in September 2023, he is a son of Allowdale Rory 894 and Athgreine Belle 91, a homebred daughter of Droumdaniel Bravo.

A full-horned bull with a carcase weight figure of +15kg and a five-star DBI of €108, he was the choice lot of David Mulrooney.

A bid of €5,100 secured Castlehale Harry PH for a local Kilkenny dairy farmer. Exhibited by James Ryan, Harry is a two-year-old son of Wirruna Lennon L102 and despite not qualifying for the various schemes with some low index values, he attracted significant interest in the sale ring.

Ten out of the 12 Hereford bulls presented for sale sold for an average of €4,020.

Limousin

When all was settled in the Limousin section, seven out the nine bulls on offer sold for an average of €3,571, with a top price of €4,400 for Sportsfield Vjay, a January 2024-born son of Mullary Intrepid, exhibited by Seamus Byrne.