The Irish Salers Cattle Society hosted its annual breeding heifer sale at Gort Mart, Co. Galway, on Saturday, October 14.
There were a total of 197 lots of cattle offered in the sale with a 97% clearance rate achieved.
A sale report from the society outlined that two exceptional roan Salers-cross in-calf heifers topped the sale at €4,150 and €4,000 respectively.
The heifers won first and second prize in their respective classes and were exhibited by Seamus Nagle from Doolin, Co Clare.
The two top-priced heifers are sired by Salers bull Carrentubber Samurai and their dams are Shorthorn x Simmental.
After heated bidding, both heifers were knocked down to Harrington Farms Ltd., Co. Mayo.
There was strong demand for in-calf and maiden heifers throughout the day. Purebred in-calf heifers averaged €3,050. Brendan Murray, Crookstown, Co. Cork received €3,500 for first prize winner Belmount Anto.
David McNamara, Craughwell, Co. Galway was next best with €3,350 for Ganty Ava, a daughter of UK-imported cow Parkfield Polled Clarrie.
Maiden heifer Templeboy Bronagh sold for €3,450. She was bred by Niall Hunt, Templeboy, Co Sligo.
The overall champion was Wallstown Angel, a stylish maiden heifer by Powerstown Pedro. This one sold for €3,300 and was bred by Jerry McNamara, Mitchelstown, Co. Cork.
Hot on her heels selling at €3,100 was a 19-month old heifer Glengowla Belle, this Montesqieu daughter was bred by Ryan Gibbons, Rosscahill, Co. Galway.
Taking the reserve champion title was a 13-month-old heifer Sligo Brella that sold for €3,000, bred by Bernard Hunt, Gurteen, Co. Sligo.
The 10-month-old heifer Ashbury Baby Spice sold for €3,050, bred by Alfie and Conor Melvin, Co. Dublin.
Pedigree maiden and weanling heifers averaged €2,756 and €2,533 respectively. There was 100% clearance of 22 pedigree heifers.
Commercial Salers
Demand was strong for in-calf commercial heifers; the top eight commercial in-calf heifers sold from €4,150 to €3,000 with an average of €3,375.
Tom McGreal from Westport, Co. Mayo sold an in-calf commercial heifer for €3,300.
Michael O Sullivan, Inchiquin, Co. Clare had three in-calf heifers ranging from €3,000–3,300. Eddie Brennan from Co. Kilkenny sold two in-calf commercial heifers for €3,000 and €3,200 respectively.
The top 22 commercial maiden heifers ranged in price from €1,800 to €2,600 with an average price of €1,984. More average lots were €300 below this figure.
There were a number of choice pens of maiden heifers making from €4.00-4.70/kg.
“Anne McNamara from Mitchelstown, Co Cork, Alfie and Conor Melvin from Co. Dublin, Ian Molan, from Kilmallock, Co. Limerick, Stephen Kirwan from Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford and Billy Small from Co. Westmeath all had standout pens of heifers,” the society noted.