There were over 700 cattle on offer at Carrigallen Mart’s weekly sale of calves, weanlings and runners on Saturday, April 23.
The sale also featured a special sale of 40 weanling heifers which were described as being “of exceptional breeding and quality”.
The heifers were bred by Jim Heery and attracted buyers from all over the country, both north and south, to the Co. Leitrim mart.
The heifers offered in the special sale were all E and U-grade types and the top price on the day went to a blue-type Limousin-cross heifer born in August 2021.
The heifer’s dam was by SFL, a well known Belgian Blue bull described as a bull with plenty of muscle producing weanlings suitable for the Italian market.
After plenty of brisk bidding, the hammer fell at €4,400 to a successful bidder from Co. Donegal.
While lot 1010 was the standout price from the sale, there were a few other impressive prices for breeding heifers which mostly ranged between 350-450kg.
The sale featured plenty of colour with reds, blues and roans all attracting a particularly high level of interest.
Lot 1010 was shortly followed by lot 1012, a red Belgian Blue-cross heifer with plenty of muscle.
This heifer was sired by a son of Accord De Wihogne and the heifer’s dam was by the renowned Ampertaine Foreman.
After much interest and brisk bidding, this 355kg heifer found a new home in Northern Ireland at a price of €2,750 or €7.75/kg.
After this was was Lot 1013, a bright Limousin-cross-Belgian Blue heifer.
This 355kg heifer was born in August last year and her dam was by Rosemount Cash ET/RWS.
She cleared the €7.00/kg mark with a buyer from the west securing the heifer at €2,500.
Other sample heifer prices from the special sale:
- 445kg Limousin heifer: €1,700 or €3.82/kg;
- 395kg Belgian Blue-cross heifer:€1,850 or €4.68/kg;
- 390kg Limousin-cross heifer: €2,000 or €5.13/kg;
- 310kg Belgian Blue-cross heifer: €1,900 or €6.13/kg;
- 400kg Belgian Blue-cross heifer: €1,320 or €3.30/kg.
The average sale price for the weanling heifers in the special sale at Carrigallen Mart was almost €1,900, with many of the heifers selling for over the €5/kg liveweight mark.