Taaffe Auctions hosted the reduction sale of the Greenhills herd on Wednesday (June 1) at Carnaross Mart.
The sale saw 60 freshly calved heifers and cows on offer and an average sale price of almost €2,000 was achieved.
Greenhills
The Greenhills herd, owned by Kevin Clar,e offered up 60 freshly calved heifers and cows for sale.
The herd has an average economic breeding index (EBI) of €184, placing it in the top 4% of herds in the country.
Fertility accounts for €89, which places the herd in the top 3% in the country.
The herd’s average production is 7,285kg of milk at 3.86% fat and 3.66% protein, with average milk solids production/cow of 548kg.
Sale prices
The top price of the day went to Lot 18, Greenhills Albert Karen. With an EBI of €233, she sold for €3,000.
This second-lactation cow calved since February 15, is projected to produce 7,595kg of milk at 4.01% fat and 3.75% protein – in turn, producing 590kg of milk solids.
The second-highest price went to Lot 10: Greenhills Supreme Fergie (G 79). Lot 10 has an EBI of €288 and sold for €2,820.
Now calved in her second lactation, she is projected to produce 6,373kg of milk at 4.27% fat and 3.83% protein.
The third-highest price went to Lot 5, Greenhills Ebony Rose 4, sired by (IG) Monabrogue Ebony.
Greenhills Ebony Rose 4 has an EBI of €231 and sold for €2,740.
In her first lactation she is projected to produce 5,254kg of milk at 4.00% fat and 3.96% protein.
The fourth-highest price went to Lot 12, Greenhills Fantasia (GP83). Lot 12, with an EBI of €176, sold €2,700.
Now in her fourth lactation she is projected to produce 7,995kg of milk at 3.95% fat and 3.62% protein.
Taaffe Auctions
Speaking to Agriland after the sale, Michael Taaffe from Taaffe Auctions stated: “We had another great sale, with farmers really keen on young cows in-milk.
“There were buyers from Galway, Mayo, Northern Ireland and Wicklow, with a 100% clearance achieved on the day.
“We had an average sale price of over €2,000, with a large number of large eighth, ninth and even tenth-lactation cows.
“Most of the young cows and heifers were making €2,300 and up. We had fourth-lactation cows making €2,100 and €2,200.
“As we moved into the older cows it moved into the high teens.”
Taaffe Auction’s next sale sees it return to Carnaross Mart on June 8, for the Dalevalley Sky-High protein sale.