Dispersal sale of the Millburn and Royal County herds sees a weanling heifer sell for €20,000

A brief history of the Millburn herd from Richard O’Beirne:

The Millburn Limousin herd was established in the early 1990s with the purchase of Benbulben Lola, with her daughter Sydney Rome at foot. She is one of the cows that provides the backbone to the herd, producing Limousins with extra length, quality and milk.

The following year Olympe was purchased, with a super bull calf at foot by Louxor. He sold the following year in Roscrea for £12,000gns. Olympe was successfully flushed to Mas Du Clo which produced very good breeding females, the most notable being Millburn Bobby Dazzler. A very successful show heifer both as a Junior and later as a Senior winning 1st prize at Expo in Kilkenny and partnered her sister to 1st in the pairs class later that day. Bobby Dazzler has certainly made a name for herself in the past few years.

Her daughters, Millburn Must Have and Millburn Nightingale, were very successful show heifers last year on the circuit — both were 1st prize winners at Tullamore 2019 with Must Have tapped forward for Senior Heifer Champion and later Res. Overall Champion Limousin. Millburn Nightingale won a number of interbreed calf championships and was judged Limousin Champion and overall Champion at a number of summer 2019 shows. We can only dream of what her successes might have been in summer shows this year.

In March 2014 their full brother, Millburn Loquacious, won Junior Champion at the Premier Sale in Roscrea and was the Sale Topper at €13,800. Other daughters of Bobby Dazzler go under the hammer at the sale. Other purchases to make an impact were Sleedagh May and Lovely. They produced quality and milky females. May produced Millburn Vera, who produced three bulls in consecutive years by Alfy to average €6,000. Vera’s daughter Millburn Nibbles sells as an in-calf heifer at the sale.

Later Vern Blossom was added to the herd. She was flushed once and has produced Millburn Grace, champion Female Reserve sold for €6,600, also Millburn Herd Builder, 1st prize winner at Roscrea October 2013, sold for €5,500. One remaining embryo on offer at the end of the sale.

My main aim over the years was to develop a herd that would produce a consistent bunch of bulls to meet the needs of today’s market and to produce functional females that can produce and rear quality calves. Today I have a herd of Limousin cattle to be proud of and I look forward to seeing them dispersed across the country and beyond, to continue to breed prize winners for their new owners into the future.

Covid 19 put paid to the show season of 2020 – no doubt robbing some of the outstanding stock on offer their chance to shine, however, once these cattle stepped into the sales ring they did not disappoint.

Topping the sale was the November 2019 born Ampertaine Foreman daughter “MILLBURN PHOEBE ET at €20,000. This young heifer oozed style and class, auctioneer Denis had an easy task task given the interest in her. Phoebe has five star ratings in all traits. Her dam THOMASTOWN ENA, a daughter of Ionesco was purchased by Richard at the dispersal sale of the Thomastown herd in 2016, she sold as the previous lot to Phoebe for €4,700. Phoebe’s sister eight month old MILLBURN PUDDLEDUCK sold for €5,000.

Millburn Phoebe ET

MILLBURN PRETTY, an 11 month old daughter of Loyal and the Ampertaine Commander daughter Millburn Levy realised €18,500. Her dam MILLBURN LEVY, an Ampertaine Gigolo daughter sold for €9,000 she is an exciting prospect for her new owner given she is carrying Pretty’s full sibling.

Millburn Pretty

 

The sale of MILLBURN NIGHTINGALE ET was always going to attracted excitement given this young heifers record in the show ring – she lived up to all expectations when she sold for €17,000. Nightingale had a tremendous showing career in 2019 – picking up many championships and Interbreed calf champions on a busy show circuit with her full sister MILLBURN MUST HAVE ET. Sired by Wilodge Vantastic their dam is the renowned Millburn Bobby Dazzler. Millburn Must Have is the reigning National show Female Senior Champion. Must Have was sold with her April 2020 born daughter Millburn Rachel for €16,000.

Millburn Nightingale ET
The six year Sympa daughter MILLBURN JEWEL sold for €8,000. Jewel has Nenuphar, Dauphin and foundation female Benbulben Lola in her lineage.

At the same money was the eye-catching Cavelands Jolly daughter MILLBURN PARIS. This heifer boasts and array of five star ratings. Her dam MILLBURN JULIE (an Ampertaine Commander daughter) realised €3,800. Julie is due to calve in the coming weeks to Bavardage.

Millburn Paris

MILLBURN MOJITO, a three year old in calf daughter of Wilodge Joskins sold for €7,300. Mojito is in-calf to Ampertaine Metric.
Millburn Mojito

A Mereside Godolphin daughter MILLBURN PLUM sold for €6,000. Just shy of her first birthday, Plum has five star ratings in many traits. Her dam MILLBURN KRIEK realised €4,500. Kriek has Ronick Hawk, Grahams Apache and Mas Du Clo in her sire stack. She is due to calve down in late October to Bavardage.

MILLBURN MAGS, a September 2017 born daughter of Excel and the Ampertaine Commander daughter Millburn Intra, for €5,750. Mags is in-calf to Loyal. Mags’ maternal sister the aptly named MILLBURN NICEONE sold for €5,700. Niceone is in-calf to Tomschoice Lexicon, she is a daughter of Bavardage.

MILLBURN KITTY, a five year old daughter of Towthorpe Dubai and in-calf to Cavelands Jolly sold for €5,600.

 

MILLBURN HELEN, sold for €5,200. Helen is a daughter of Wilodge Cerberus and Benbulben Lola. She is in calf to Plumtree Fantastic. Her maternal sister MILLBURN FAMOUS sold for €5,000. Famous, by Fieldson Alfy, is in calf to Excel. Helen’s Goldies Jackpot daughter MILLBURN NUNCIO sold for €5,000. Nuncio is in calf to Tomschoice Lexicon.

Also breaching the €5,000 mark was the Excel daughter MILLBURN NUGGET 2. This November 2018 born heifer is a daughter of MILLBURN JINGLE, herself by Queenshead Altea. Jingle fetched €4,250 in the sales ring. She is in calf to Ampertaine Majestic.

A message from Tommy and Shane of the Royal County herd:

The Royal County Herd was established in 2016 with the purchase of Thomastown Hayley. We then purchased three heifers from John McInerney’s Drummin herd. The following year we purchased two heifers from the Goldies herd in Scotland. These animals have made a huge impact in the formation of our herd.

Although our herd is only a few years old we feel we have already bred some fantastic stock and they would be a great addition to any herd.

We have made the hard decision to offer our herd for sale today as we are changing our farming practice.

We would like to wish all purchasers the very best of luck and offer our thanks to all who helped on the day and to our Auctioneer Dennis Barrett.

 

Leading the trade at €9,000 for the Royal County herd was DRUMMIN KATIE an impressive daughter of Ampertaine Foreman and the renowned Drummin Cliona. Katie is in-calf to Whinfellpark Lomu, her daughter ROYAL COUNTY PRINCESS (by Lomu) is a very stylish heifer, she sold for €5,200.
Drummin Katie

DRUMMIN JULES ET has the same bloodlines as Drummin Katie, Jules is in calf to Kaprico Eravelle. She sold for €7,600.
Drummin Jules Et

Tommy and Shanes’ first Limousin purchase was THOMASTOWN HAYLEY from John Downey. This foundation female formed part of a successful embryo transfer program. Six of her daughters were on offer at the sale – these heifers are sired by Ronick Hawk, Wilodge Cerberus and Loosebeare Fantastic. The Ronick Hawk daughters NIKITA ET, NELLIE ET and NORA ET realised €6,100, €3,900 and €3,300 respectively. Hayley’s daughter by Loosebeare Fantastic ROYAL COUNTY NANNY sold for €4,750, while her two Cerberus daughters MERCEDES ET and MAMMAMIA ET fetched €4,750 and €4,300. Mercedes is in-calf to Tomschoice Imperial, Mammamia is due in October to Plumtree Fantastic. Hayley herself realised €5,600. Hayley is in calf to the homebred stock-bull Royal County Napoleon.

December 2018 born ROYAL COUNTY NICEONE changed hands for €5,750. Niceone is a striking daughter of Ampertaine Foreman and Goldies Lime.

ROYAL COUNTY NANCY ET an eye-catching daughter of Ronick Hawk and the Gerrygullinane Glen daughter Derrygullinane Kimiko realised €4,600. Nancy is in-calf to Royal County Napoleon.

The Bavardage daughter ROYAL COUNTY NOVA sold for €4,000. Nova’s dam is the afore mentioned Drummin Katie. Nova will turn two years old in September.

The mother and son combination of GOLDIES LILAC (Goldies Fortress X Goldies Eloquent) and her March born Lodge Hamlet son ROYAL COUNTY ROCKY realised €3,700. Lilac was purchased from the noted Goldies herd based in Dumfries, Scotland.

€3,200 was the final bid for MOUNT SCOTT KATHLEEN 2 an in calf daughter of Wilodge Cerberus. Kathleen is in calf to ROYAL COUNTY NAPOLEON – also offered at the sale and sold for €3,000. Napoleon is a 2-year old son of Foxhillfarm Lordofthering and Pelletstown Viola Et.

The cow and calf pairing LIMOVALE GABRIELLA and ROYAL COUNTY RAMBO (a son of Ampertaine Magnum) sold for €2,900. Gabriella is a daughter of Queenshead Altea. Gabriella’s two year old daughter ROYAL COUNTY NIKKI sold for €2,800. Nikki is by Ampertaine Foreman.

BAILEYS LISA, a four year old daughter of Queenshead Altea sold for €2,800 with her March 2020 born calf at foot – ROYAL COUNTY RONALDO by Ampertaine Foreman.

Seven month old ROYAL COUNTY RIHANNA sold for €2,000. Rihanna is a daughter of Ampertaine Magnum. Her dam Ernevalley Innocent Et is by Wilodge Cerberus.

Other prices from the Millburn herd

Millburn Milley, a daughter of Wilodge Joskins. In-calf to Loyal, €4,900

Millburn Lingus, a daughter of Ampertaine Commander, €4,800

Millburn Klaura Et, a daughter of Wilodge Vantastic. In-calf to Ampertaine Gigolo, €4,700

Millburn Kaitlyn, a daughter of Queenshead Altea. In-calf to Loyal with heifer calf Millburn Regina at foot, €4,600

Millburn Mia , a daughter of Wilodge Joskins. In-calf to Kaprico Eravelle, €4,400

Millburn Kelly, a daughter of Ronick Hawk. In-calf to Bavardage, €4,200

Millburn Lotto, a daughter of Wilodge Joskins. In-calf to Kaprico Eravelle, €4,100

Millburn Isabelle, a daughter of Fieldson Alfy. In-calf to Ampertaine Majestic, €4,000

Millburn Helga, a daughter of Sympa. Sold with bull calf at foot Millburn Rossie by Kaprico Eravelle, €4,000

Millburn Lettie, a daughter of Dinmore Goldcrest, €4,000

Millburn Noreen, a daughter of Bavardage. In-calf to Tomschoice Lexicon, €4,000

Millburn Pippa, a daughter of Ampertaine Foreman, €4,000

Millburn Mia 2, a daughter of Wilodge Joskins. Sold with bull calf at foot Millburn Ronaldo by Millburn Matic, €3,900

Millburn Primrose, a daughter of Loyal, €3,900

Millburn Julie, a daughter of Ampertaine Commander. In-calf to Bavardage, €3,800

Millburn Nancy , a daughter of Bavardage, €3,750

Glenamber Firga, a daughter of Derryhall Captain. In-calf to Amperatine Majestic – sold with Millburn Robin her Tomschoice Lexicon daughter at foot, €3,700

Millburn Miss Marple, a daughter of Wilodge Joskins. In-calf to Ampertaine Majestic, €3,700

Millburn Fifi, a daughter of Mas Du Clo. In-calf to Ampertaine Gigolo, €3,700

Millburn Mistletoe, a daughter of Plumtree Fantastic. In-calf to Ewdenvale Ivor, €3,700

Millburn Penelope, a daughter of Bavardage, €3,600

Millburn Megan, a daughter of Queenshead Altea. In-calf to Millburn Mateo, €3,500

Millburn Emma Et, a daughter of Mas Du Clo. In-calf to Ampertaine Majestic, €3,100

Millburn Evonne, a daughter of Neuf. In-calf to Norman Inventor, €3,100

Millburn Miss Moo, a daughter of Wilodge Joskins. In-calf to Loyal, €3,100

Millburn Madame, a daughter of Excel. In-calf to Queenshead Altea, €3,100

Millburn Felicity, a daughter of Sympa. With bull calf at foot Millburn Ranger by Laurel, €3,000

Millburn Memphis, a daughter of Cavelands Jolly. In-calf to Loyal, €3,000

Kilcara Ciara, a daughter of Mas Du Clo. With bull calf at foot Millburn Rishi by Bavardage, €2,900

Millburn mona, a daughter of Wilodge Joskins. In-calf to Tomschoice Lexicon, €2,900

Millburn Pamela, a daughter of Plumtree Fantastic, €2,900

Millburn Lorna, a daughter of Ampertaine Gigolo. In calf to Loyal, €2,800

Rathcarden Evelyn Et, a daughter of Sympa. In-calf to Ampertaine Gigolo, €2,700

Millburn Primrose, a daughter of Queenshead Altea, €2,700

Millburn Nibbles, a daughter of Bavardage. In-calf to Loyal, €2,600

Millburn Nell, a daughter of Goldies Jackpot. In-calf to Tomschoice Lexicon, €2,600

Millburn Poppins, a daughter of Plumtree Fantastic, €2,600

Millburn Priscilla, a daughter of Excel, €2,500

Millburn Lisa, a daughter of Wilodge Joskins. In-calf to Tomschoice Lexicon, €2,400

Westland Nina, a daughter of Haltcliffe Doctor, €2,400

Millburn Hailey, a daughter of Towthorpe Dubai. In-calf to Tomschoice Lexicon, €2,300

Millburn Kayak, a daughter of Queenshead Altea. Icn-alf to Tomschoice Lexicon, €2,300

Millburn Petite, a daughter of Plumtree Fantastic, €2,300

Millburn Punchline, a daughter of Queenshead Altea, €2,100