Taaffe auctions conducted the first of his spring sales in Carnaross Mart on Wednesday, January 17 with 81 Lots on offer.
The sale contained almost all first lactation cows, that had all calved since late October – with some of the Lots only 10 days calved.
Many of the Lots on offer had made the trip from counties as far a field as Limerick and Donegal to the Co. Meath mart for sale.
Taaffe auctions
The presence of buyers from Northern Ireland boosted the trade at the Wednesday sale, with a good number of Lots making their way north after the sale.
Auctioneer Michael Taaffe dropped the hammer at 3,100gns for the sale topping Lot 39: Ballivor Outback-Et Estatic.
This first lactation cow calved on December 10, and milking 32L/day is sired by Abs Outback-Et.
Her dam Ballivor Mayday Estatic (VG85) produced 10,011kg of milk in her second lactation, with a protein content of 3.46% and fat of 4.60%.
The second highest call of 3,050gns was achieved on two occasions firstly by Lot 31: Ballyelan Perseus Greitje 3682, and then for Lot 52: Cornboro Shottle Elsie.
Making the trip up from the Ballyelan herd in Co. Limerick, Ballyelan Perseus Greitje 3682 is a first lactation cow calved since December 14 and milking 31L/day.
She is sired by Westcoast Perseus and her dam Ballyelan Big Time Grietje 2 completed six lactation.
In her sixth lactation she produced 10,906kg of milk at 3.33% protein and 3.44% fat.
Cornboro Shottle Elsie made the short trip down from Co. Monaghan for the sale, calved since December 2 this first lactation cow sold milking 34L/day.
Sired by Picston Shottle, she is out of Lynbrook Hang Time Elsie 1471 (EX90) – in her third lactation she produced 12,037kg of milk at 3.47% protein and 3.63% fat.
The third highest price of the sale came late on and was achieved by Lot 97: Ballivor Popular 2924, selling for 2,900gns.
Calved since November 26, she is sired by Ballivor Popular and out of Ballivor Eva Imp (VG 85).
Ballivor Eva Imp in her second lactation produced 10,849kg of milk at 3.30% protein and 4.29% fat.
The next highest price was Lot 41: Ballivor Popular Elsa, calved since December 12 into her first lactation and milking 30L/day – she sold for 2,650gns.
Sired by the same bull as third highest lot, she is out of Ballivor Method Elsa (VG85).
The fifth highest price was achieved by Lot 75: Ballyelan Massey Lustre 3711, she sold freshly calved into her first lactation for 2,620gns.
Calved only 10 days and milking 26-27L/day, she is sired by Co-Op Bosside Massey-Et and is out of Ballyelan Centurion Lustre 312.
Achieving a sale price of 2,600gns was Lot 47: Roydale Muriel 63 1872, calved a month into her second lactation she sold milking 34L/day.
In her first lactation she produced 8,648kg of milk at 3.69% protein and 4.47% fat.
Sired by (Ig) Nextgen Phc Eimer 557 and out of Roydale Muriel 38 (VG85), who in her fourth lactation produced 11,047kg of milk at 3.47% protein and 3.90% fat.
Next was at a sale price of 2,500gns was Lot 78: Ballivor Perseus June 4, calved since December 9 into her first lactation – she is sired by Westcoast Perseus.
In pictures
Some more sale prices from the 148th Carnaross dairy sale can be seen in the galleries below.
Prices from the sale that were 2,350gns to 2,250gns:
Price from 2,220gns to 2,200gns:
Price from 2,180gns and below:
