The Cavelands herd reduction sale which was held in Tuam mart on Saturday 18th November 2023. This eagerly anticipated sale didn’t disappoint with a very impressive selection of cattle on offer.
Paul and Mary Sykes from Ballyhaunis, Mayo are synonymous with the Limousin breed for almost 40 years, during which time they have built a herd of fantastic cattle. Paul is very highly regarded in the livestock industry having stood as Breed secretary to the Irish Limousin Society for many years, he vacated his role in 2020 to work nearer to home. The reduction sale was necessary due to the unavailability of a large block of leased land – numbers of cattle on hand had to be reduced and the decision was made to sell all females born into the herd since 2021. The cattle on offer were testament to careful sire selection and many years of knowledge.
A packed sales ring kept auctioneer George Candler busy with bids coming from the assembled crowd and online.
Welcome everyone to the Cavelands Limousin herd reduction sale. Our herd was established in 1984 and has steadily expanded to over twenty breeding females using the best French, UK, and Irish genetics. Due to losing a considerable parcel of leased land, we have made the difficult decision to reduce numbers by selling all the females born into the herd since June 2021. This is the first time Cavelands Limousin has offered a batch of heifers for sale. The cattle on offer today come from established and sought after high index bloodlines which include: Bavardage, On Dit, Usse, Ronick Hawk, Mereside Godolphin, Ampertaine Foreman, Cavelands Jolly, EBY, Ewdenvale Ivor, Grangeford JoJo and Plumtree Fantastic. Emphasis has always been placed on functionality, breed characteristics, docility, milk, and good conformation. Three Autumn 2022 young bulls are also on offer, these have top genetics, easy calving, and good conformation. All these bulls qualify for the SCEP scheme. This sale offers an opportunity for breeders and new entrants to acquire genuine livestock with a depth of back breeding and proven genetics. Many of the bloodlines on offer are no longer available.
The sale also includes seven females from our neighbouring Drimabbey herd of Gerry O’Connell. The founding genetics of Drimabbey originate in Cavelands.
We would like to wish all prospective buyers the best of luck. We hope you have as much enjoyment as we have experienced over the last 39 years with the Limousin breed.
Paul and Mary Sykes, Cavelands Limousin herd
⇒Click here to view Sale topper CavelandsTammy – €9,000⇐
Topping the sale was Lot 8 Cavelands Tammy, a smashing August 2022 born daughter of Mereside Godolphin. Oozing style Tammy came to the ring with a Replacement index of €112 and a Terminal index of €151. Tammy’s dam the homebred Cavelands Pateley 2 has Ampertaine Foreman and On-Dit in her lineage. After a flurry of bids, the hammer fell at €9,000 to a county Tyrone buyer.
Lot 4 Cavelands Sophie, a daughter of Elderberry Galahad and Cavelands Irene (Ronick Hawk X Mas Du Clo) sold for €5,100. Sophie has a Replacement index of €110 and a Terminal index value of €122. She was acquired by a Galway based purchaser.
Lot 24. Cavelands Thirsk, a 16-month old son of the homebred Cavelands Rudolph sold for €4,800. Thirsk’s dam Cavelands Mary 2 has Sympa and Rubis in her sire stack. Thirsk heads to a Galway farmer.
Lot 25 Cavelands Toby a shapey Mereside Godolphin son sold for €4,400. Toby is the first born calf of Cavelands Peta (an Ampertaine Foreman X On-Dit daughter). Born in August 2022, this young bull has five star ratings in Terminal index, Docility, Carcass weight and Carcass conformation.
Lot 1. Cavelands Summer, a June 2021 born shapey heifer sold for €4,350. Summer is a multi-starred daughter of Dovea AI’s Cavelands Jolly (Ionesco X Ronick Hawk) and Cavelands Kitt (a Bavardage daughter).
Lot 13 and Lot 14 A set of Grangeford Jojo twins made €7,450, these two smart yearlings are daughters of Cavelands Katie 2 (Bavardage X Fieldson Alfy). First up was Cavelands Tilly 2 selling for €4,050, then Tilda sold for €3,400. The same purchaser acquired these multi-starred ladies.
Lot 15 Ten month old Cavelands Ulta found a new home at €4,000. Ulta is an impressive daughter of Mereside Godolphin and the Ronick Hawk daughter Cavelands Greta. Ulta has an array of five star ratings.
Lot 16 A Plumtree Fantastic daughter Cavelands Ulla found a new abode in the UK. Ulla the youngest heifer catalogued has a back pedigree that includes Armoric and On-Dit. She sold for €3,600.
Drimabbey herd
A neighbouring breeder Gerry O’Connell offered a consignment of seven tremendously well bred heifers from his Drimabbey herd. Gerry’s cattle are steeped in Cavelands genetics, with the herds stock bulls sourced from Paul.
Topping the consignment from Gerry was February 2022 born Drimabbey Tare Away, an in calf daughter of Cavelands Leyburn. Tare Away has five star ratings in Replacement index, Carcass conformation and Daughter Milk. She sold for €3,000.
Lot 19. Her stablemate Drimabbey Tara sold for €2,700. Tara’s French born dam Gertrude has Valerian and Neuf in her sire stack.
Other Prices
Lot | Name | Sire | Dam | Selling price |
5 | Cavelands Semab | Cavelands Jolly | Cavelands Maeve | €3,300 |
9 | Cavelands Tina | Ewdenvale Ivor | Cavelands Peggy | €3,300 |
10 | Cavelands Tessa 380 | Plumtree Fantastic | Cavelands Maeve | €3,300 |
3 | Cavelands Saoirse | Elderberry Galahad | Cavelands Niamh | €3,200 |
6 | Cavelands Twinkle | Ewdenvale Ivor | Cavelands Martha | €3,200 |
7 | Cavelands Tara | Jt | Cavelands Irene | €3,200 |
2 | Cavelands Sadie | Elderberry Galahad | Cavelands Paula 2 | €3,100 |
11 | Cavelands Tilly | Plumtree Fantastic | Cavelands Maria | €3,000 |
12 | Cavelands Thea | Raffertys Immanuel | Cavelands Nancy | €2,500 |
22 | Drimabbey Tina | Cavelands Leyburn | Drimabbey Katy | €2,150 |
20 | Drimabbey Tammy | Cavelands Leyburn | Drimabbey Malaga | €2,000 |
23 | Drimabbey Tess | Cavelands Leyburn | Drimabbey Prettylittlething | €1,700 |
21 | Drimabbey Trish | Cavelands Leyburn | Drimabbey Hailey | €1,600 |
Next sale:
Elphin – North West club Elite heifer sale on Monday 4th December
Athenry sale Saturday December 9th- catalogue of 52 bulls and two heifers coming shortly.