Castlemartin Charolais hit E15,500 top price

Last Saturday’s sale of Charolais cattle at Tullamore Mart on behalf of Messrs O’Reilly’s Castlemartin stud, Kildare, Eire, saw what many ringsiders declared an outtstanding trade with the day’s top call a E15,500 sale.

Taking this highest price was the herd’s stock bull Clonoulty Andraemon. By Nevers and out of Cottage Tasmin, an Oscar daughter, Andraemon has an index od E283 for producing export weanlings, a carcass index of E171 and sold to Peter Stritch, Bellisle, Clonlare, Co Clare, for pedigree breeding.

And Mr Stritch was clearly in spending mood, paying 10,200 for the next highest priced lot in the sale, Castlemartin Orange. This April 1998-born cow is a daughter of French sire Jupiter and out of Castlemartin Denise, a Drumgauty Viceroy daughter. With a suckler beef value of E222, she was rated as a five star cow under the Irish performance recording system.

Then at E8500 was Castlemartin Sonia, a February 2001-born Erudit daughter out of Farmleigh Harpe, a Farmleigh En-Coeur daughter. With lines back to Opium and Figaro, Sonia has a suckler beef value of E233, again scoring five stars both within and across breed and sold to Martin Roche Flinter, Mullacash, Naas, Co Kildare.

At E8200 was May 1998-born Castlemartin O’Reilly. Again by French sire Jupiter, O’Reilly is a daughter of fully French bred cow Castlemartin Juventus and carries a suckler beef value of E209, again taking a five star score both within and across breed. She also sold Mr Stritc.

And another 1998-born cow, this time January born Castlemartin Oprah took the next best price, making E7000. By noted French sire Indurain, Oprah is out of Loughduff Lisa, a Blason daughter and carried a suckler beef value of E239 and joined the other top priced lots on Mr Stritch’s wagon back to Clonlare, Co Clare.

Another at this money was yearling heifer Castlemartin Deirdre. By the herd’s stock sire Clonoulty Andraemon and out of Castlemartin Rayonnanne, an Okapi daughter she sold with a suckler beef value of E254 to Clare Ferris, Crossgar, Co Down.

Selling at E6600 was the best priced in-calf heifer Castlemartin Beth. By Boulteen Vivaldi, a Domino son, and out of E8500 cow Castlemartin Sonia, she sold with a suckler beef value of E230 and again joins Mr Stritch’s herd.

Just E500 cheaper at E6100 was Ballydavis Violet, a January 2004-born daughter of Induarain out of Ballydavis Fortune, a Kilgoobin Posidon daughter. This one, bred by Michaeal Hargroves, Co Laois, sold to J J Melody, Bunratty, Co Clare.

A second transaction at this money saw Stewart Murphy, Dungannon, Co Tyrone, buy March 2006-born Castlemartin Belinda. ET bred Belinda is by Hermes son Padirac and out of Ballydavis Petuna and Erudit daughter. She sold with a suckler beef value of E231.

The final sale at E6000 or more came when February 2001-born Castlemartin Sandra sold to Stan Glynn, Blake Hill, Cong, Co Mayo. She is by French sire Jackson and out of Castlemartin Margaux, an Ilion daughter out of French dam Iris, and has a suckler beef value of E236.

Averages; eight in-calf heifer E3387, 11 cows with autumn born calves E5373, 12 cows with spring born calves E4383, 14 dry cows E3722, nine yearling heifers E2700.