First ever Co. Galway sale of Aubracs in Tuam on Monday

TUAM Mart will host a special sale of PB and commercial Aubrac cattle next Monday, April 7, at 1pm – this is the first ever sale of the breed in County Galway.

The Aubrac is one of the top maternal beef breeds in Ireland, with a growing reputation for ease of calving due to particularly impressive pelvic conformation, high levels of resistance to disease, and longevity.

The breed originated in the southern region of the Massif Central in France, they are tan in colour, darker on the nose and eyes, circled with white.

Cows, according to the Aubrac Society, have excellent maternal characteristics and their high quality milk is said to ensure a high growth rate in young calves.

Most of the cows are kept as suckler cows. Calves are said to be hardy and quick to get sucking. Fertility rates are said to be high with up to 98% going back in calf each year.

Aubrac cattle are also considered to be low maintenance animals that do very well on a forage based diet, thus reducing feeding costs.

Dairy farmers are now using Aubrac bulls on the cows not required for replacement as an alternative to other beef breeds which were traditonally used, due to their good confirmation, ease of calving and short gestation.

At the Tuam Mart Beef Breeding Seminar in February this year, there was an excellent showing of pedigree and crossbred Aubrac cattle with significant interest from local farmers.

The growing popularity of the breed was also reflected in the decision of Munster / Progressive Genetics to launch a new Aubrac bull, Duches, for commercial farmers early this year. For more info, call Angela Lacey (051 641106) or log on to www.aubrac.ie