The Irish Holstein Friesian Association (IHFA) held its open day last week on the Frawley family’s Ballytigue herd.
The event drew a large crowd to the Co. Limerick farm, which was events during the day and a sale in the evening.
The Ballytigue herd offered up 53 lots in the sale, with many attracting a large amount of attention from farmers on the day.
Ballytigue
Speaking to Agriland after the sale. auctioneer Michael Taaffe from Taaffe Auctions said: “The Ballytigue open day sale saw the Frawley Family offering 52 females and one deep pedigreed bull from their best cow families.
“The sale created great interest with lots being sold to all parts of Ireland, north and south.
“The herd’s Penny family was singled out for particular mention in the pre-sale Display and members of this family created huge demand and claimed the two top sale prices.”
Penny family
Leading the way was Lot 9, Ballytigue Crown Red Penny, an October 2021 Kenmore Triple Crown Red daughter from Ballytigue Mogul Penny (EX94-4E).
Lot 9 is a third generation of homebred (EX94) cows and tracing back to the famous Baileys and Millstreet Champion Lachstone Pennyrealm (EX94).
For Lot 9, the hammer fell at 7,100gns, with this beautiful heifer purchased by a Co. Limerick breeder.
The second-highest price went to her maternal half-sister, born a year earlier in October 2020.
This heifer, Lot 8 Ballytigue Aladdin Penny, was sired by R DG Alladin Red and sold due – in January 2023 – to Cookiecutter Logistics, scanned carrying a female calf.
She again, is a potential fourth Generation of (EX94) cows and sold to a Co. Louth breeder for 6,400gns.
Goldrose and Apple
Two other springing heifers sold over 5,000gns including the beautiful Lot 11, Ballytigue Hurricane Goldrose, who sold at 5,600gns.
This heifer is a Potential sixth Generation (EX) who sold due in January carrying a scanned female calf sired by VH Praser.
“Trade was consistently strong throughout the sale with a particularly strong trade again for the red and white heifers for sale,” Taaffe stated.
Two red heifers from the Apple family sold for 5,100gns and 4,500gns with a Red Knowall selling for 4,100gns and a red Rolls selling for 3,600gns.
Ballytigue sale averages
- Five autumn-calving springing heifers averaged 4,100gns;
- 15 spring-salving in-calf heifers averaged 3,546.67gns;
- 15 autumn 2021-born heifers averaged 3,626.67gns;
- 17 spring 2022-born heifers averaged 2,247gns;
- November 2021-born bull sold for 2,900gns.