North Mayo farmer has champion at Balla weanling show and sale
THE champion of the show at yesterday's annual weanling show and sale at Balla Mart was a Belgian Blue bull sired by BB9725 'Avicii De Mahoney'. Weighing 475kg, the bull was sold for €3,500 by Ballina farmer Seamus Egan.
The champion of the show was sponsored by Raymond Clarke, Auctioneer.
It was the dearest weanling sale yet, with some serious prices paid for bull weanlings especially.
The sale featured some smashing calves, suitable for export, and the exporters got ‘stuck in’ as the quality was exceptional.
Bulls suitable for export were well up and the tops in the bulls - of which there was over 30 lots - made in excess of €3,000 a head. Most calves made over €2,000, unless they were very plain, as the average was €2,230 - up by over €900 on last year's show.
Bulls 200kg to 350kg averaged €6.55/kg - up .30/kg on the previous sale - with the tops making over €7/kg.
Bull weanlings 350kg to 450kg averaged €6.05/kg and heavier bulls 450kg plus averaged €5.90/kg.
A cracking 590kg Dovea AI Belgian Blue hybrid bull by 'Moderato De L'Empereur' BB6700, off a PB Limousin cow by 'Joskins', made €3,700 (€6.27/kg) for an Irishtown farmer, going, as expected, for export.
Top prices in the bull included the following:
295kg LMX €2,680
380kg CHX €2,780
445kg LMX €3,150
490kg BBX €3,600
590kg BBX €3,700
Farmers were very active around the heifer ring buying stock for feeding or potential breeders.
Lighter store heifers 200kg to 350kg averaged €6.11/kg, stock 350kg to 450kg averaged €5.93/kg, with heifers 450kg plus averaging €5.96/kg.
Tops in the heifers included:
320kg LMX €2,840
440kg CH €7,800
465kg BBX €3,800
An exceptional 11-month-old Belgian Blue heifer, a daughter of Progressive Genetics' PPS ‘Patissier De La Grande Rose’ and out of a PB Limousin cow, Ballytown Rhonda, sold for a whopping €7,800, going to a buyer up the country for future breeding. And she was followed by many heifers that topped €3,500.
Upcoming sales
The next sale is on Tuesday, September 16, a day sale, with booking this Thursday (11th) on low call 0818 301 401 between 9.30 a.m. and 1 p.m.
There will also be a special breeding heifer sale on Friday, September 19, starting at 5.30 p.m., with booking also on this Thursday (11th). There has been great interest in this sale so get booking early Thursday as numbers will be limited.
Winners of the show 2025
Class 1 - Best Charolais bull calf, sponsored by Edward Kelly Plant Hire: 1st Tom Mulligan, Bohola; 2nd Thomas Moore, Brickens, Claremorris.
Class 2 - Best Charolais heifer calf, sponsored by T.J Heneghan (MRCVS): 1st Thomas Moore, Brickens, Claremorris; 2nd Alan O’Doherty, Tample, Charlestown.
Class 3 - Best Limousin bull calf, sponsored by Michael Maloney & Assoc.: 1st Shane McGreal, Heathvally, Westport; 2nd Sean Staunton, Manullla, Castlebar.
Class 4 - Best Limousin heifer calf, sponsored by Nutrias Animal Feeds: 1st Jackie Keane, Clogher, Westport; 2nd Jimmy O’Boyle, Carrowkeel, Ballyhaunis.
Class 5 - Best BB bull calf, sponsored by McEllin's of Manulla: 1st Seamus Egan, Cloonglasna, Ballina; 2nd Brendan Feeney, Enniscrone.
Class 6 - Best BB heifer calf, sponsored by Sweeney Oil: 1st Dermott and Grace Mullaney, Creggs, Balla; 2nd Pat Kennedy, Rahard, Ballinrobe.
Champion of the show, sponsored by Raymond Clarke, Auctioneer: Seamus Egan, Cloonglasna, Ballina, Class 5, Best Belgian Blue Bull.