C&M Tumilty gear up for 4th annual in-calf heifer sale

Offering 50 top-quality, in-calf heifers, this auction promises to attract both loyal repeat buyers and new customers seeking the best in replacement stock.

With 130 acres of land split between cereal crops and grazing, Tumilty’s family-run farm is renowned for its attention to detail and dedication to quality. Starting as a primarily arable operation with a few cattle, their love for livestock eventually led them to specialise in rearing premium beef cattle. This passion evolved into a focused effort to meet the growing demand for top-quality in-calf heifers, and for the past four years, Martin Tumilty has been supplying the local market with exceptional replacements at their annual sale at Markethill Mart.

“We saw a gap in the local market for high-quality, in-calf heifers,” says Martin, who runs the farm alongside his father, Charlie, and with a helping hand from his young son, also Charlie.

“Our family ethos is all about doing things right, and producing top-notch replacement stock was a natural fit for us.”

A Focus on Quality Breeding

The Tumilty farm keeps an average of 80 cattle on the premises year-round. These are carefully selected for their maternal traits, robust structure, and longevity. The farm specialises in Limousin, Belgian Blue, and Charolais-cross heifers, which are hand-picked by Martin himself, ensuring only the best animals are chosen.

“We focus on buying heifers that will weigh at least 600kg by the time they are served, usually at around 22 months of age,” says Martin. “It’s essential they have strong legs and plenty of bone for longevity as cows.”

Each heifer undergoes a meticulous management regime from the moment they arrive at the Tumilty farm. With high-quality round-bale silage and a carefully tailored diet, every animal is bolused, vaccinated, and paddock-grazed to ensure optimal health. “They receive the royal treatment,” says Martin, who emphasises that careful health management is key to their success.

Proven Sires and Impressive Calving Results

Tumilty’s heifers are inseminated in February, using only top-quality Limousin bulls with proven calving ease, such as Loyal, Ewdenvale Ivor, Elderberry Galahad, Powerful Proper and Birchpark Rufus. This year, they achieved a remarkable 90% heifer calf rate thanks to sexed semen, a success they plan to build on in this year’s sale. Each calf’s sex and other important breeding details will be listed in the sales brochure, providing buyers with the

information they need to select the perfect replacement.

“We always aim to give our customers the full picture,” Martin explains. “From the heifer’s DOB and breeding to her due date and calf’s sire, we make sure the buyer knows exactly what they’re getting.”

Export-Ready Stock

This year’s sale is particularly exciting, as many of the heifers will be eligible for export to the Republic of Ireland, expanding the market for Tumilty’s sought after stock. Each heifer’s export eligibility will be clearly marked in the sales brochure.

A Sale You Won’t Want to Miss

With a focus on maintaining the highest standards and delivering exceptional animals, Tumilty is dedicated to ensuring this year’s auction is one of the best yet. "We’ll be selling 50 heifers this year, and our goal is to keep this sale going annually with the same level of quality,” says Martin.

The auction will be held at Markethill Mart on Thursday, October 24th at 7pm (ringside & online bidding available via MartEye.) Whether you’re a returning customer or looking to purchase from C&M Tumilty farm for the first time, this sale is an opportunity to invest in premium in-calf heifers, ready to enhance your herd.

For further details or to request a copy of the sales brochure, contact Martin Tumilty 07825650338. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to acquire some of the finest replacement stock in the region!