Bellair Estate, situated on the Offaly/Westmeath border, has made the decision to disperse its 300-cow dairy herd.

The split calving herd consists of 132 autumn calving cows alongside 161 spring calving cows.

The herd is averaging 7,000kg of milk at 4.55% fat and 3.61% protein.

As well as that, the herd is averaging 2.6 lactations per cow, and is maintaining an average somatic cell count of 93,000 cells/ml.

All cows are artificially inseminated (AI), with 73% of the herd receiving sexed semen.

Dispersal sale

The first of the dispersal sales took place in GVM Tullamore Mart, Co. Offaly this week.

It saw approximately 20 freshly calved cows, 59 in-calf cows, and 56 maiden heifer and heifer calves go up for grabs.

There was a top price of €3,610 made on the day for an in-calf heifer.

Coolstar Yamaska Hazel is pedigree Holstein born in October 2023.

She has an Economic Breeding Index (EBI) of €61, with a milk sub-index of €75 and a fertility index of -€4.

She is projected to produce 7,466kg of milk at 4.9% fat and 3.55% protein in her first lactation this year.

The autumn calver was mated to semen from Pine-Tree Ollyver-ET (FR2729) in late January, and is expected to calve down on Halloween.

The next best price of the day was given for Cedarmore Pr Goldrose, a January-2023-born pedigree Holstein who went under the hammer for €3,490.

The in-calf heifer is due to calve down on October 26 after being served to OCD Sheepster Eeyore-ET (FR2758) in January.

She has an EBI of -€30 with a milk sub-index of €68 and a fertility sub-index of -€74.

She produced 8,879kg of milk at 4.13% fat and 3.33% protein in her first lactation this year.

Some other top prices of the day included:

€3,460 for Bellair Jenna, an October-2021-born cow due to calve down on October 21. She produced 6,580kg of milk at 4.31% fat and 3.5% protein in her second lactation this year;
€3,400 for Coolstar Pep Wendy, a March-2023-born heifer with an EBI of -€17. She is projected to produce 6,479kg of milk at 4.16% fat and 3.46% protein in first second lactation this year, and is set to calve down in early October;
€3,180 for Shanaknock Griff Fusion, an October-2023-born heifer with an EBI of €13. She is projected to produce 8,332kg of milk at 3.64% fat and 3.24% protein in first first lactation this year, and is set to calve down in mid November.

Overall, in-calf heifers averaged €2,469/head on the day.

Freshly calved heifers

The 20 freshly calved heifers which were sold on the day averaged €1,657/head.

Bellair Pradenn Nadia made the best price of the consignment, going under the hammer for €2,400.

The March-2022-born cow only calved down less than a month ago.

She has an EBI of €29, a milk sub-index of €29 and a fertility sub-index of -€13.

She produced 6,980kg of milk at 4.74% fat and 3.68% protein in her second lactation last year.

€2,300 was the next best price given for a freshly calved heifer.

It was given for Bellair Pradenn Quest, a March-2022-born cow who only calved sown two days before the sale.

She had an EBI of €44 with a milk sub-index of €34 and a fertility sub-index of -€19.

Calves and weanlings

There was 17 heifers born in 2026 on sale, with birth months ranging from January to August.

These made an average price of €714/head in the ring on the day.

The highest price paid was given for a pedigree Holstein heifer calf born on January 18.

The calf had an EBI of €79, with a milk sub-index of €58 and a fertility sub-index of €37.

Her dam is projected to produce 9,359kg of milk at 4.37% fat and 3.28% protein in her third lactation this year.

2025 stock ranged from August to December-born, and sold to an average of €995/head.

The best seller of the group was Bellair Captain Shauna, making €1,390 in the ring.

She is an October-born pedigree Holstein heifer with an EBI of €103, a milk sub-index of €110, and a fertility sub-index of -€9.

Her dam is projected to produce 9,977kg of milk at 4.01% fat and 3.37% protein in her first lactation this year.