The South West Limousin club held their annual commercial calf show and sale in Castleisland mart on Monday 7th April 2025. There was exceptional quality calves on offer. Overall calf prices were up €100/head on last weeks prices. Prices ranged from €595 to €1010 for the prize winners – proof that using Limousin with any cow type pays dividends. Called upon for judging were local SW club members John O’Connor and Padraig McCarthy.
First prize winning bull from John and Vincent West, also pictured Padraig McCarthy
Two calves (the first prize winning bull and the third prize winning heifer) both sold for the days top price of €1010. First at this prize was a super December 2024 born bull calf bred by John and Vincent West, this calf is a grandson of Dromaing King (LM4302 – Wilodge Cerberus X Imperial), his dam is a BB cow going back to a Friesian. This smashing bull calf has found a new home in county Roscommon.
Third prize winning heifer calf
The third prize winning heifer was a March born calf, this young calves dam is a simmental cross. She was presented by Shane O’Neill, she also sold for €1010.
First prize winning heifer calf – presented by Mark O’Connor, sponsor Jack Walsh Munster Bovine and Padraig O’Connor
The first prize winning heifer was a smashing red Limousin heifer presented by Mark O’Connor. This 4 month old calf is a grand-daughter of the locally bred AI sire Castleview Gazelle (ZAG – bred by Sean O’Sullivan). The hammer fell at €1,000, she will now reside in county Roscommon.
Second placed bull calf – a son of Shannon Stan
The second prize winning bull calf was a February born Red Limousin presented by Donie Casey. This young calf is a striking son on Shannon Stan (LM9379 – Irelands shortest gestation Limousin bull – Stan was bred by Sarah McElligott, Asdee). He sold for €900 to the same Roscommon based purchaser as the two first prize winners.
Second placed heifer calf
The second prize winner in the heifer category was a February born calf, her dam is a Friesian. This cracking heifer sold for €600, she was presented by John Cronin.
Third placed bull calf
The Third prize winning bull calf was the property of Sean Cronin. This calf was born in March to a Friesian cow and sold for €805.
| Prices for Limousin calves in Castleisland on 7th April 2025 | |||
| F / M | Age | Number of Calves | Price |
| F | 1 month | 1 | €1010 |
| M | 3 months | 1 | €1010 |
| F | 4 months | 1 | €1000 |
| M | 2 months | 1 | €900 |
| M | 1 month | 1 | €805 |
| M | 1 month | 1 | €780 |
| M | 26 days | 1 | €760 |
| F | 1 month | 1 | €670 |
| M | 1 month | 1 | €660 |
| M | 1 month | 4 | €650 |
| M | 1 month | 1 | €605 |
| F | 1 month | 2 | €600 |
| M | 1 month | 1 | €590 |
| M | 27 days | 1 | €580 |
| F | 1 month | 5 | €560 |
| M | 1 month | 1 | €545 |
| M | 1 month | 2 | €540 |
| M | 1 month | 1 | €515 |
| M | 29 days | 6 | €510 |
| M | 1 month | 1 | €500 |
| M | 1 month | 1 | €500 |
| M | 1 month | 1 | €500 |
Thank you
Thank you to the management and staff of Castleisland mart, to our judges John and Padraig, to Sarah McElligott and John O’Connor for organizing the show and sale.
Many thanks to Munster AI and their representative Jack Walsh. Munster AI sponsored the heifer class and gave a prize of AI straws for Shannon Stan (LM9379) to the sellers of the prize winning heifer calves.
We are very grateful to Dovea Genetics for their sponsorship of the bull classes – the sellers of the first and second prize winning bulls received straws of Drumline S 1185 (LM9577) and Sliabh Felim Sterling (LM8929 respectively).
Thanks must go to the Limousin Society for helping towards the prize money – €40 to the breeders of the first prize winning calves, €30 to the breeders of the second prize winners and €20 to the breeders of the third prize winners. Twenty euro was awarded to the purchasers of all six prize winners.
The calves on offer were a credit to their breeders, we wish the very best of luck to all customers with their new LMX livestock and thank you for investing in the Limousin breed.
