How did the different breeds perform in the spring 2021 bull sales?
Aughalion Prince who sold for 14,000 at the Limousin premier in March. Top priced bull across all breeds this spring. \ Alfie Shaw  The spring pedigree bull sales have drawn to a close for another year. The past two years have been different to most, as the onset of COVID-19 lockdowns in the peak bull sales period meant that much of 2020 bull selling was done from farm or not at all. A number of buyers I got talking to at this years sales mentioned that instead of buying a new bull last spring when everything was in lockdown, they gambled on another year with the older bull. As we came to autumn, cull bull prices at marts were very strong. This enticed others to sell some bulls prematurely and cash in when money was high. As we headed into 2021, hopes were high that we would be back to some normality. However, this wasnt to be the case, with most pedigree spring sales taking place without ringside buyers. That said, cattle at the marts were selling very well, with very strong demand from early in the season for suck calves meaning farmers were happy. Nearly all commodities were seeing a strong spring. With almost a year of lockdowns and not going anywhere, there was a lot of money around the country. Early sales got off to a good start, with calf prices seeing record highs and factory prices increasing on the week. However, as sales progressed, it was clear to see numbers in general were back across all breeds. While numbers catalogued would be in the same region as previous years, numbers present often only hit half of what was expected on the day. Vibrant on-farm trade  Much of this can be attributed to a vibrant on-farm trade. With no pre-sale shows and buyers not allowed to bid ringside, it seemed many were looking to do business off-farm as they could see the bull better. This was particularly evident in the Angus and Hereford breeds, with many breeders reporting sales from the turn of the year. This was most evident in the southern half of the country, with dairy buyers opting to secure bulls early in the season, as they were getting good prices for calves. With each year that passes, we see this type of buyer looking for an older bull to run with heifers. This is largely down to the increased number of heifers being put to bulls, with autumn-born bulls more suitable for bigger numbers. Due to this surge in demand, many Munster breeders of traditional breeds were reporting not having bulls left by the start of April, a time in previous years when sales would be just starting to get going. This resulted in some very mixed sales for both breeds. Some sales for the breeds could be flyers and then two days later could be very poor. It proved impossible to judge, with no real trends between sale place and date. Standout sales  The standout sale, on reflection, for both Angus and Hereford together, would be the April sale in Kilkenny. Both reported strong clearance rates and averages that were well up on the previous two sales ahead of COVID-19. Its also worth noting the Irish Aberdeen Angus inaugural sale in Cashel, which saw a full clearance of 12- to 14-month-old bulls to average just shy of 2,700. On the Hereford front, most progress was made for the societys premier in Tullamore. Although the average dropped slightly on previous years, clearance rate more than doubled on where it was in 2017. This was helped greatly by the money-back incentives put forward by the Irish Hereford Prime. Continental bulls also saw a reduction in bulls present. None more so than the Simmental and Limousin breeds. Some of this can also be attributed to bulls sold at home to Britain. The new Brexit rules mean buyers can sell direct to Britain like normal from farm, but those sold at a sale have to be returned to the breeder or livery yard for 40 days before being exported. It is understood that ahead of both the early Limousin and Simmental premiers a number of bulls were exported for good money. The big numbers selling at home didnt seem to be as much as an issue for the Charolais sales. Bull numbers throughout the four society sales, along with Carrick, proved as high as ever. These high numbers meant that the clearance rate wasnt as high as some other breeds, but, in fact, more bulls were sold. The breed has continued with regard to prices, with nearly all sales this year reporting the highest average in the last five years. Dairy  On the dairy front, a buoyant fresh-calved heifer trade without question helped the sale of Friesian bulls. The Irish Holstein Friesian Association hosted one of its most impressive premiers to date in Nenagh, Co Tipperary, with prices rising by nearly 600 on the last sale held in 2019. This was matched with a high clearance that saw all but one exhibitor sell. There did seem to be a bit of a later response in buyers at Kilkenny for Friesian bulls, but this could be in line with Glanbia capping milk production and farmers planning for a later calving date. Overall, with so much on-farm business done and many notable prices throughout the year, most breeders will consider spring 2021 a very good one for bull sales.