Tipperary Town Bull Sales

farmer2018

I am thinking of bringing a few bulls to the Tipperary Town bull sales for the first time in the coming months. Are they good sales, what would the prices be like in general?

Albert Johnson

farmer2018 wrote: »

I am thinking of bringing a few bulls to the Tipperary Town bull sales for the first time in the coming months. Are they good sales, what would the prices be like in general?

I hauled bulls to it multiple times in the last few years for a friend, it's a fair spin from his place in North Leitrim. His would be all Angus and usually average between €1800 to €2000 a piece for middle of the road bulls. Customers can be lacking at times as with all sales and most have a tight budget when buying. It's not a place for a real fancy bull imo, there's a better chance of selling a plain lad at €1400 than a duster of a one at €3000.

They deserve a medal for running the mart where it's situated, parking is almost nonexistent and it's an ordeal to get in and out of with stock. The ordinary sales must be some operation if there getting any decent numbers of stock. As for the bull sales it's probably as good a trade as any for average quality bulls.

farmer2018

Albert Johnson wrote: »

I hauled bulls to it multiple times in the last few years for a friend, it's a fair spin from his place in North Leitrim. His would be all Angus and usually average between €1800 to €2000 a piece for middle of the road bulls. Customers can be lacking at times as with all sales and most have a tight budget when buying. It's not a place for a real fancy bull imo, there's a better chance of selling a plain lad at €1400 than a duster of a one at €3000.

They deserve a medal for running the mart where it's situated, parking is almost nonexistent and it's an ordeal to get in and out of with stock. The ordinary sales must be some operation if there getting any decent numbers of stock. As for the bull sales it's probably as good a trade as any for average quality bulls.

How about other breeds like Herefords etc?

Albert Johnson

farmer2018 wrote: »

How about other breeds like Herefords etc?

I remember thinking at the last sale I attended in it that Herefords were a better trade than AA.
A Hereford bull would probably have cleared maybe €200 more than an equivalent quality AA if my memory is correct, there was also more lads for a higher quality HE than a similar AA. The HE seems to have increased in popularity in recent years versus the AA, whether or not this trend continues remains to be seen. With the suck trade the way it is I wonder if lads will be that keen to splash out on a higher quality bull this season.

I reckon that an average quality bull sells best in it regardless of breed, there's a lot of lads who want a bull at circa €1500, run him for the season and into the factory in the backend. The lads for a better bull to keep for multiple seasons are getting less and less. Continentals don't seem to do much good in it for some reason, if it's not HE or AA there usually blanked imo. If you had a bundle of average type bulls then it probably as good a sale as any, the money won't be huge but you'll get them sold.

farmer2018

Does anyone know if the is any pedigree bull sales on anywhere in July/August? I am nearly sure there is nowhere but I am just checking.

farmer2018

Albert Johnson wrote: »

I remember thinking at the last sale I attended in it that Herefords were a better trade than AA.
A Hereford bull would probably have cleared maybe €200 more than an equivalent quality AA if my memory is correct, there was also more lads for a higher quality HE than a similar AA. The HE seems to have increased in popularity in recent years versus the AA, whether or not this trend continues remains to be seen. With the suck trade the way it is I wonder if lads will be that keen to splash out on a higher quality bull this season.

I reckon that an average quality bull sells best in it regardless of breed, there's a lot of lads who want a bull at circa €1500, run him for the season and into the factory in the backend. The lads for a better bull to keep for multiple seasons are getting less and less. Continentals don't seem to do much good in it for some reason, if it's not HE or AA there usually blanked imo. If you had a bundle of average type bulls then it probably as good a sale as any, the money won't be huge but you'll get them sold.

How are they going this year Albert? Have you been there.

Albert Johnson

I've been down twice so far (8th and 22nd of May) and will probably be down at the last sale on the 19th June.
The 8th was the best sale I thought, good buying for strong bulls and my friend averaged €2100 for 4 AA sold. There were ample customers on the day for any half decent bull with a bit of power and age. The AA seemed to be a better trade than the HE which was the opposite of other years.

We went again on the 22nd and it was a lot an easier trade for all types imo. He averaged €2000 for 2 AA sold and it was a struggle to get it being honest. There seemed to be a few lads to buy a light young bull at circa €1200-€1400 but very few willing to give €1800+. It was a good day and perhaps the silage making opportunity went against it. Whatever the cause it was probably the poorest sale I'd seen there to date.

He was supposed to go on the 5th but didn't although I was told after by another regular that the trade hadn't improved anything since the fortnight before. I'm told we're almost definitely going next week (the 19th) which I think is the last sale. It's been a poor enough year overall at the bulls I'd reckon and there seems to be an over supply of pedigree cattle in general.

farmer2018

Albert Johnson wrote: »

I've been down twice so far (8th and 22nd of May) and will probably be down at the last sale on the 19th June.
The 8th was the best sale I thought, good buying for strong bulls and my friend averaged €2100 for 4 AA sold. There were ample customers on the day for any half decent bull with a bit of power and age. The AA seemed to be a better trade than the HE which was the opposite of other years.

We went again on the 22nd and it was a lot an easier trade for all types imo. He averaged €2000 for 2 AA sold and it was a struggle to get it being honest. There seemed to be a few lads to buy a light young bull at circa €1200-€1400 but very few willing to give €1800+. It was a good day and perhaps the silage making opportunity went against it. Whatever the cause it was probably the poorest sale I'd seen there to date.

He was supposed to go on the 5th but didn't although I was told after by another regular that the trade hadn't improved anything since the fortnight before. I'm told we're almost definitely going next week (the 19th) which I think is the last sale. It's been a poor enough year overall at the bulls I'd reckon and there seems to be an over supply of pedigree cattle in general.

So it could be a tuff day out if thinking of going with a 20 month old and expecting 2000+ the 19th June.

Albert Johnson

It might be a good trade if the weather stays broken and a few lads have left sourcing a bull until the last minute. At 20 months he should be in reasonably early in the sale which is a big help imo. Provided he has power and some style then €2000 or near it shouldn't be unattainable in an average trade. As with all sales it's a gamble but the season is moving on and if a bull isn't sold within the next few weeks it's getting late. It has it's faults as a sale imo especially regarding facilities and the attitude of some of the workforce but is still probably as good a sale as any in the greater scheme of things.

farmer2018

Albert Johnson wrote: »

It might be a good trade if the weather stays broken and a few lads have left sourcing a bull until the last minute. At 20 months he should be in reasonably early in the sale which is a big help imo. Provided he has power and some style then €2000 or near it shouldn't be unattainable in an average trade. As with all sales it's a gamble but the season is moving on and if a bull isn't sold within the next few weeks it's getting late. It has it's faults as a sale imo especially regarding facilities and the attitude of some of the workforce but is still probably as good a sale as any in the greater scheme of things.

Ya he is a good bull. Were you at the last sale last year? What was it like?

Albert Johnson

I didn't venture to that sale last year as all the business was done regarding bulls being honest. I'm told it was as good a trade as any of the previous and finished off what was a good enough year for Tipperary bull sales.

farmer2018

I was told the Herefords sold from 1500-2100 the last sale, there was some very strong bulls there. I doubt the prices will change much this sale.

Albert Johnson

There was a few super bulls in it the last day I was there. Real traditional powerful bull's that didn't really make enough I thought. They would have made more a fortnight before, same story with the AA. I saw a quality 2 year old AA @ €2350, he'd make another few hundred at a sale in Carrick on Shannon or similar as he was a real suckler man's bull imo.

farmer2018

Albert Johnson wrote: »

There was a few super bulls in it the last day I was there. Real traditional powerful bull's that didn't really make enough I thought. They would have made more a fortnight before, same story with the AA. I saw a quality 2 year old AA @ €2350, he'd make another few hundred at a sale in Carrick on Shannon or similar as he was a real suckler man's bull imo.

What kind of money did they make?

Are most of them bulls fertility tested?

Albert Johnson

Either side of €2000 but they were super bull's imo, an average bull would make it another year. One bull in particular was making €2100 with a struggle, a similar bull from the same herd made €2350 the previous sale. All the bulls my friend sells are fertility tested and most of the bulls offered seem to be, especially the older stronger bull's.

farmer2018

Albert Johnson wrote: »

Either side of €2000 but they were super bull's imo, an average bull would make it another year. One bull in particular was making €2100 with a struggle, a similar bull from the same herd made €2350 the previous sale. All the bulls my friend sells are fertility tested and most of the bulls offered seem to be, especially the older stronger bull's.

Have two Angus to go as well might be worth a try.

Albert Johnson

It may be, I'd put the trade for AA bulls ahead of similar HE bulls which is the opposite of other years. I can't see any shortage of bulls the next day of either colour. The country is full of purebreds and there's a lot of dealt bulls about Tipperary in particular.

Albert Johnson

farmer2018 wrote: »

So it could be a tuff day out if thinking of going with a 20 month old and expecting 2000+ the 19th June.

Did you venture on Wednesday? We were supposed to go but he only has 3 bulls left to sell and I had the flu so didn't bother in the end.

farmer2018

Albert Johnson wrote: »

Did you venture on Wednesday? We were supposed to go but he only has 3 bulls left to sell and I had the flu so didn't bother in the end.

No I didn't thankfully, very poor trade apparently.

Albert Johnson

farmer2018 wrote: »

No I didn't thankfully, very poor trade apparently.

I heard that afterwards from another regular, it's​ getting late for the bull trade imo. Unless you meet someone who's short a bull for some reason it's hard to shift them at this time of year. I wouldn't think it was a particularly good year for the bulls at least in Tipperary, customers and finance seemed to be in short supply,