Prices reached €2,400 at the Cashel Blue cheese herd dispersal sale at Mid Tipp Marts in Thurles, Co. Tipperary, on Friday, November 24.
The Cashel Blue Herd was founded by Louis Grubb in 1980.
The sale was run by Doyle Hunt and Hunt in conjunction with Mid Tipp Marts.
Due to the retirement of farm manager Pat Morrissey, who has worked on the farm for the last 35 years, the decision was made to sell the Cashel Blue herd, but the family will continue to keep the cheese business.
Cashel Blue will continue to purchase milk from the new tenants on the farm, and will also continue to purchase milk from farmers within a 40km radius of the factory.
Cashel Blue has achieved a number of awards – their reputation has been built through the years using the milk from these exceptional cows.
Cashel Blue herd
The sale offered a unique opportunity to purchase some exceptional well-bred pedigree Holstein Friesian cows.
The sale consisted of 60 autumn-calving cows, ten autumn-calving springing heifers, 30 spring-calving cows and 15 spring-calving heifers
At the commencement of the sale, Ray Hunt spoke on behalf of Cashel Blue, and stated: “A taste of what is on offer here today can be purchased from Harrods of London, to the Beirge in Dubai.”
Many of cows within the herd origins can be found from American and Canadian Holstein genetics, which some British Friesian genetics introduced to put strength, depth and fertility back into the cows.
The herd was fully milk recorded, and prior to the sale was producing 7,800L of milk with fat of 4.24% and protein of 3.45% – which equates to 600kgs of milk solids.
According to Ray Hunt, there was a buoyant trade on the day especially for those freshly calved cows.
With customers coming from near and far, with a number of cows going to Cork, Clare, Wicklow and Sligo.
Auctioneer Rory Doyle hitting the top price €2,400 twice on the day, for Lot 11B: Cashel Blue Daffodil (GP 81) a first lactation cow sired by Kilfeacle Pivotal with an economic breeding index (EBI) of €221.
Image: Doyle Hunt and Hunt
The second Lot to achieve €2,400 was Lot 20B: Cashel Blue Daffy Sparrow another first first lactation cow with an EBI of €167.
There was 12 cows on the day that exceeded the €2,000 mark on the day.
Image: Doyle Hunt and Hunt
The average price achieved for the Autumn-calving cows was €1,700, while the spring calvers was a little steadier with the top price of €1,620.
Image: Doyle Hunt and Hunt
The average price achieved by the spring-calving cows was €1,062, on the day.