Carnaross Mart, based in Co. Meath, hosted its monthly dairy sale last Wednesday (April 14), consisting of 161 lots brought forward on the day.
118 of these lots were made up of freshly-calved cows and heifers – with the remaining 43 lots being bulling heifers.
Entries from top herds such as: Cannontown; Clonwood; Ballyelan; Beechlands; Ballivor; Ballydoogan; Laurelmore; Bawn; Ballyheady; Kildoo; Rodston; Seafield; Oranbay; Tooman; and Rowantree.
To garner insight into the trade this week, AgriLand caught up with the auctioneer Michael Taaffe of Taaffe Auctions.
Auctioneers comments
Commenting on the sale Michael stated: ”We had another excellent sale with the top price of the day being €3,000.
”The sale contained a mixture of pedigree Friesian, non-pedigree Friesian, Brown Swiss and Jerseys, with the majority of the animals on offer making over €2,000.
”We saw a 100% clearance of the milking stock, with a small number of bulling heifers not being sold.
”The prices for the bulling heifers reached as high as €1,000 and €1,020.”
Some of the stock on offer were sired by top artificial insemination (AI) sires such as: Sandy-Valley Pharo; Outlaw; Big Maiki; Rager Red; Perseus; De-Su Mucho; De-Su Seville; Mogul; Floyd; Fanatic Future; Belair; FR4545; Oldcastletown Ronaldo; LWR; FJM; and KKG.
”We had a number of northern buyers, but once again our southern buyers were every bit as competitive,” Taaffe added.
”There remains uncertainty among many of the buyers about how the recent peak milk announcement will affect them, but so far that does not seem to have affected prices currently being paid.”
Upcoming dairy sales
Some upcoming dairy sales for Taaffe Auctions include, Dungannon Dairy Sale, which will take place at the Co. Tyrone-based mart on Thursday, April 22.
The sale will comprise 20 bulls fit for service, 111 calved heifers and cows, along with 37 springing heifers due to start calving in September.
On Saturday, April 24, Taaffe Auctions will also host the dispersal sale of the Lisfort herd. This sale will take place online, with 70 cows from Martin Larkin, Ballymanagh, Craughwell, Co. Galway herd on offer.
Finally, on Wednesday, April 28, Carnaross Mart will host the dispersal sale of the Knowthfarm herd for Jim and Patrica McGrane. This auction will contain the entire milking herd of 90 cows and 25 heifer calves.