It was an in-calf Charolais-cross heifer that took the top price at the weekly sale of heifers, bullocks and dry cows on Monday evening (January 24) at Carrigallen Mart, Co. Leitrim.
The sale featured a special entry of 33 in-calf commercial suckler-bred heifers belonging to Co. Cavan man Herbie Griffith, and farmers from far and near flocked to the ring in huge numbers to view the heifers being sold.
Speaking to Agriland after the event, Carrigallen Mart’s manager Helen Kells described the sale as “a huge success” and noted there was a full clearance in the special heifer sale with over one quarter of the heifers being purchased by farmers from Northern Ireland.
Taking the top price on the night was Lot 10, which sold for €5,400. This five-star March 2020-born heifer was scanned in-calf to a Limousin stockbull and is due to calve on February 20.
The top-price heifer was sired by Edendale Nebular (son of Fiston) and her dam was a Limousin-cross Belgian Blue cow.
A farmer based in south Co. Leitrim secured the top-priced heifer on the night.
Other prices from the in-calf heifer sale:
The average price of the 33 heifers sold in the special sale was €3,230.
General cattle sale
In the general cattle sale, mart manager Helen Kells said the trade is strengthening for all types of heavy cattle at the venue.
In the dry cow ring, the top price went to a Saler-cross cow weighing 920kg that sold for €2,790 or €3.03/kg.
Also securing just short of €3/kg in the dry cow ring was an 870kg Limousin-cross cow that sold for €2,600.
In the general heifer sale, the top price per kilo on the night was €3.30/kg paid for a 660kg Charolais-cross heifer. This heifer made €2,180.
The top price in the general heifer sale was €2,440 or €3.10/kg paid for a 785kg Limousin-cross heifer.