IN a first for leading livestock auctioneers, Harrison & Hetherington, Irish Moiled Cattle Pedigree bulls will go under the hammer in an online sale.

The sale will form part of Carlisle-based H&H’s annual Spring Pedigree Bull sales.

Conducted on behalf of the Irish Moiled Cattle Society, the online timed auction sees 16 bulls and nine females of this native breed put forward for auction. With classes for bulls under one year, one to two years, two years and over, and females under a year, maiden heifers not in calf, in-calf heifers/cows.

All of the livestock entered for this sale have been DNA tested and consigners include – Glassdrummond, Lisnolan, Ballylinney, Rossighn, Beltany, Inis Fraoigh, Beechmount, Curraghnakeely, Ravelglen, Rathcarn Meenacraig and Ballyreagh pedigree Irish Moiled herds.

The elite sale of some of the finest Moiled genetics in the world will see stock available to view online from tomorrow, May 1. Bidding will take place between 12 noon on Thursday, May 6 until 12 noon on Saturday May 8.

Heather Pritchard, Pedigree Sales Manager for Harrison & Hetherington said: “Last summer we were delighted to hold our first ever female sales of Moiled Cattle which saw the breed records broken for a female.”

Heather added: “Holding this sale as part of our annual pedigree bull sales is a huge step for the Irish Moiled Cattle Society, but in doing so they are maximising potential interest from buyers throughout the UK”.

Irish Moiled is an Irish and UK native breed of cattle that is indigenous to Ireland and the May bull sale sees entries from top breeders across Great Britain, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland.

Having gained increasing interest from across the globe over the last few years, Irish Moiled cattle have a reputation for quality and distinction.

As a breed the Moilies still retain their original characteristics, and the Irish Moiled Cattle Society has been at the forefront in protecting the unique genetics of the breed with a certification scheme which verifies the cattle as 100 percent Irish Moiled pure bred, which includes DNA parent profiling.

This assures sale confidence in buyers, wholesalers and bidders as all animals offered for sale will have full registration status or pending for young calves.

The breed has held onto original traits. They are docile in nature, hardy and can live outdoors 365 days a year, exceptionally fertile from a young age, with young bulls suitable for use on two-year-old heifers.

Irish Moiled bulls are normally of an excellent temperament, extremely hardy and alert in the herd from an early age.

The bulls can be used on suckler herds as a ‘maternal sire’ to produce easy kept, milky, heifer replacements.

With its distinctive brown and white colourings this is a very distinctive breed, which produces attractive offspring with added value in terms of appearance.

Brian O’Kane, Chairman of the Society said: “We are delighted to be working with Harrison & Hetherington again this year, to showcase some of the very best Irish Moiled Bulls in the world.

“We are seeing that breeders are increasingly keen to introduce these bulls to their commercial herds, because they cover the cows in a short time frame and the cows very rarely need support with calving”.

He added: “Another benefit of the breed is that it supports the increasing demand for sustainability and reducing the farm’s carbon footprint. With more and more butchers looking for Irish Moiled beef because of its traceability and flavours, in recent years, those breeders who have started their own herds are now capitalising on this.”

For further details about the Moiled Cattle Pedigree Bulls sale contact the Pedigree Office on 01228 406230.