A top price of €3,460 was achieved at the Ashberry herd sale on Friday, February 23 at Mid-Tipperary Mart.
The mart saw 105 pedigree-registered freshly-calved Holstein Friesian heifers offered for sale, which was hosted by Doyle, Hunt and Hunt.
All animals on offer had been export-tested and also had milk recording data available.
This herd has an impressive average economic breeding index (EBI) of €230, with an average production of 7,200L, a fat content of 4.75% and a protein content of 3.7%.
Six of the heifers on offer had EBI’s exceeding €300.
The herd was vaccinated against leptospirosis, salmonella, and infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR), had excellent hoof health and had been bovine tuberculosis (TB) free for nearly 28 years.
Ashberry herd
Speaking to Agriland after the sale, Ray Hunt said that there was a buoyant trade on the day, especially for those high EBI heifers.
Auctioneer Rory Doyle dropped his hammer on the top price of €3,460 for Lot 11A: Burncourt 4728 Hazel 6, she sold with an EBI of €316.
Image source: Doyle, Hunt and Hunt
Sired by Kilfeacle Pivotal, her dam produced 5,971kg of milk, with a fat content of 4.97% and a protein content of 3.90% in her third lactation.
The herd was rated C10 for TB status, which, according to Hunt, helped with the sale.
Noting that, there was a number of clients who purchased a large number on the day who recently had become clear of TB.
Some of the other notable prices from the sale included Lot 6: Burncourt 6085 Andrea 28, with an EBI of €249 – she sold for €2,600.
Image source: Doyle, Hunt and Hunt
Sired by Oldcastle Picasso, her dam produced 6,418kg of milk with a fat content of 4.03% and a protein content of 3.37% in her fifth lactation.
Also selling for €2,600 was Lot 22A: Gortnaor 5239 Mary, she is sired by Hanrahan Olympus and has an EBI of €271.
Image source: Doyle, Hunt and Hunt
In her third lactation, the dam of Lot 22A produced 6,556kg of milk, with a fat content of 4.13% and a protein content of 3.45%.
Selling for €2,350 was Lot 8: Burncourt 5857 Suzanne 81, sired by Oldcastle Tiernan – she sold with an EBI of €257.
Image source: Doyle, Hunt and Hunt
Her dam, in her second lactation produced 5,500kg of milk, with a fat content of 4.51% and a protein content of 3.59%.
Selling for €2,400 was Lot 20: Gortnaor 4187 Denise , she sold with an EBI of €231 and is sired by Westcoast Perseus.
There was 100% clearance achieved on the day, with heifers from the sale making their way to new homes in counties such as Cork, Clare, Kildare, Kilkenny and Kerry.
The average sale price from the 105 Lots that went under the hammer was €1,995.