A commercial in-calf heifer took the top price of €9,100 at Gabriel Sloyan’s Victoria Farms retirement sale of in-calf and maiden suckler breeding stock.
Victoria Farms is located outside Ballyhaunis, Co. Mayo, and hosted the special sale at Elphin Mart, Co. Roscommon, on Friday, November 8.
The sale included a consignment of two suckler pairs, three in-calf cows, 17 in-calf heifers and 14 maiden heifers with a 100% clearance for the 36 lots.
The top-priced heifer is sired by the artificial insemination (AI) Limousin bull, Wilodge Joskins and was bred out of a Limousin-cross dam.
She is due to calve in December and is scanned carrying a bull calf sired by AI Belgian Blue bull, Tropique.
This bull featured often in the back breeding of the top-priced lots in Sloyan’s sale.
The second-highest sum of €7,800 was recorded for the first lot into the ring, a suckler cow and calf pairing, which set a lively tone for the night’s trading.
The January 2020-born Charolais-cross Cloncorrick Ned daughter, sold with her January-born Tropique (S841) son at foot.
She is back in calf, carrying a bull, to the AI Belgian Blue bull mentioned above and is due in mid-December.
Meanwhile, the second cow and calf pairing offered went under the hammer for €6,400.
The 2020-born Belgian Blue-cross daughter by SFL (Du Stordeur Flaneur) sold with her April-born LM2014 (Ewdenvale Ivor) daughter at foot.
She is in-calf to Tropique, carrying a heifer, and is due in April 2025.
Several of the in-calf lots exceeded €5,000, including:
- €7,400 for lot 16: Lochanboy Lord daughter, in-calf to EBY, carrying a bull calf and due the end of December;
- €6,300 for lot 21: Nox De L’Orgelot daughter, in-calf to EBY, carrying a bull calf and due early January;
- €5,800 for lot 8: BB4599 daughter, in-calf to EBY, carrying a heifer calf and due the end of November;
- €5,600 for lot 9: EBY daughter, in-calf to Loyal, carrying a heifer calf and due the end of November;
- €5,600 for lot 11: Trusk Morgan daughter, in-calf to EBY, carrying a heifer calf and due in December;
- €5,600 for lot 18: Leonardus Van De Uilenvlucht daughter, in-calf to EBY, carrying a heifer calf and due the end of December;
- €5,400 for lot 22: Du Grand Bon Dieu daughter, in-calf to EBY, carrying a bull calf and due in mid-January.
Livestock auctioneer, Danny McLoughlin, took fast-paced bids from online and ringside bidders across the country both north and south.
Lots were snapped up by buyers across Northern Ireland, Connacht, the Midlands, Ulster and further afield, as far as Co. Wexford.
Some of the top-prices for maiden heifers in the sale included:
- €5,200 for lot 27 – an April 2022-born Du Grand Bon Dieu daughter;
- €4,700 for lot 28 – a May 2022-born Sheehills Fearless ET daughter;
- €4,500 for lot 35 – a May 2022-born Dartagnan R/BBX104 daughter.
Following the sale, Sloyan reflected on what he described as Victoria Farms’ “most successful sale to date”.
He highlighted the strong demand for quality breeding stock from suckler farmers, particularly those seeking high-quality show and export-type calves.
He said: “Many lots went to young farmers, which bodes well for the future of Ireland’s suckler farming industry.
“Trade remained consistently strong throughout the night, with in-calf lots attracting the most attention. 22 springers, including two teams, averaged €5,925.
“A standout feature of the sale was five animals in-calf to Tropique, an AI Belgian Blue bull.
“They were highly sought-after on the night. I have been using Tropique for 10 years with great satisfaction.”
He is a “well-balanced animal that has it all in the right places. Tropique has been pivotal in building Victoria Farms’ reputation over the years.
“A special word of thanks to everyone who assisted with our sale. Thank you to all buyers and under-bidders. I wish you all the best with your purchases and hope they are very lucky,” according to Sloyan.