The South West Limousin club held their annual commercial calf show and sale in Castleisland mart on Monday 8th April. There was exceptional quality calves on offer with the prices for the prize winners ranging from €295 to €740 – proof that using Limousin in the dairy herd pays dividends. Called upon for judging were local SW club members John O’Connor and Padraig McCarthy. Before the sale Bryan McKenna of ICBF gave an insight into the Commercial Beef Value (CBV).
Topping the sale and described by the auctioneer as a “Super Duper heifer” was a daughter of the locally bred Castleview Gazelle – ZAG. This heifer born in February is out of a FR cow, she was bred by Mike and Sean Cronin. With a flurry of bids both ringside and online she was acquired by the Goggin family from Causeway, Co. Kerry.
Sarah McElligott – SW club, purchasers Jason Goggin and Samantha Goggin and John O’Connor judge
Breeder of the €740 first prize winner – Sean Cronin
The second prize winning heifer – a smashing Red Limousin calf – was born in March, her dam is also a FR. This prize winner sold for €500.
The third prize winning heifer is also a daughter of a FR cow – this little lady was born on the 27th February – she sold for €445.
In the bull calf class – the red rosette went to a March born calf, whose dam is a dairy Shorthorn. His sire is a Tomschoice Lexicon stockbull. This March born calf sold for €300.
The second prize winner was born in February, his dam is a FR, this young calf sold for €300.
The third prize winning bull sold for €295. This young calf is also out of a FR cow.
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- 1st prize winning bull
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- Pen of LMX calves
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- 2nd prize winning heifer
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- 3rd prize winning heifer
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- Bryan from ICBF with the first prize winning calf and purchasers Jason Goggin and Samantha Goggin
Thank you
Thank you to the management and staff of Castleisland mart, to our judges John and Padraig, to Sarah McElligott for organizing the show and sale. Many thanks to Bryan from ICBF and to Munster AI who donated a prize of five AI straws to the purchaser of the first prize winning heifer calf. Thanks also 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 to all customers with their new LMX livestock.
