Taaffe auctions held its final sale of the year recently, at Dungannon Mart, Co. Tyrone, and had 105 lots on offer.
2021 has been an exceptionally good year for the buying and selling of dairy stock, with a number of sales throughout the year highlighting this.
At some of these sales we have seen animals with good pedigree achieving high prices.
ARDS Atrium Ruth
The Dungannon sale took place last Thursday, December 16.
Speaking to Agriland after the sale, Michael Taaffe said: “Trade was brisk at the Dungannon sale last Thursday, with Wilson and Andrew Patton’s ARDS herd taking the day’s top price of 3,100gns for their fresh calved heifer, Lot 49.”
Lot 49 ARDS Atrium Ruth, was sired by Denovo Atrium and is backed by 11 generations of VG/EX dams from the ARDS herd’s renowned Ruth cow family. She sold milking 34L/day.
Wilson and Andrew Patton’s ARDS herd also took the third highest price at 2,900gns, for Lot 37, Ards Crimson Brina.
Sired by ABS Crimson and bred from 11 gens VG/EX of the famous Regancrest Delia cow family, she sold milking 30L/day.
Lot 37: Ards Crimson Brina sold for 2,900 gns
Drumard Dreamer Sophie 2
Second highest price at Dungannon went to William Graham’s Drumard herd. Michael said: “The second top price on the day going to William Graham’s Lot 92 Drumard Dreamer Sophie 2, she sold for 3,060gns.”
Lot 92 Drumard Dreamer Sophie 2, was sired by Wiltor Dreamer. Sophie had completed her first lactation yielding over 11,000kg.
She is now in her second lactation and milking 55L/day.
Dungannon mart dairy sale
Summing up, Michael told Agriland that: “Overall, averages for the milkers were in line with the November trade at Dungannon.
“The sale also concluded with 12 August and September-born heifer calves from the noted Inch herd.
“These calves sold from 500gns to 1,940gns and interestingly, 50% of these Inch heifer calves were purchased by buyers from the Republic of Ireland.”