The Kerry Holstein Friesian Breeders club annual show and sale of freshly calved heifers took place at Gortatlea Mart in Ballymacelligott on Wednesday (March 15).
A high calibre offering of 19 freshly calved heifers bred by members of the Kerry club were put forward on the day.
The quality of stock was reflected in brisk bidding throughout the sale from beginning to end. The high demand resulted in a full clearance, with thirteen heifers achieving prices over €2,400 and an average sale price of €2,500.
Emer Curtin was judge of the pre-sale show. Emer is steeped in pedigree Holstein Friesian breeding having been actively involved in her parents, Peter and Eileen Kennelly’s Akeragh herd from a young age.
Emer and husband Daniel now enjoy showing top-quality stock from their recently established Euro herd.
Results from the Kerry Holstein Friesian Breeders Club show and sale:
- Champion Heifer: Ballylongane Laidy 44 exhibited by Maurice Harty;
- Reserve Champion Heifer: Ballylongane Farci 12 exhibited by Maurice Harty;
- Honourable Mention Heifer: Ocean Larmour Graphic exhibited by Kieran Harty.
Image: Donal Carey IHFA
Kerry Holstein Friesian Breeders
The top price of the sale was achieved by Lot 1014, Ballylongane Laidy 44, bred by Maurice Harty. She was the champion of the pre-sale show and sold for €3,340.
Calved one week, she is bred from four generations of VG/EX dams. Her VG87 dam recorded 11,990kg of milk and 833kg of milk solids in her third lactation of 317 days.
Her lifetime calving-interval average in four lactations to date is 361 days.
The sire of the champion heifer is Lars-Acres Super Nerd ET (FR5085).
The second-highest price of the sale, achieving a price of €3,300, was Lot 1002, Ballylongane Pietje 46, also bred by Maurice Harty.
Calved only ten days, she was sired by Roylane Boxer Punch 4311 ET (S1458) and is bred from four generations of VG/EX dams.
Her VG86 dam completed a third lactation last year of 10,814kg of milk at 4.79% fat and 3.74% protein, which equates to 922kg of milk solids,
Her grand-gam Ballylongane Pietje EX91 6E is an Irish Holstein Friesian Association (IHFA) Diamond Award recipient with a lifetime yield of 99,677kg of milk and 7,545kg of milk solids in nine lactations.
The third-highest price of the sale was achieved by Lot 1001, Ballylongane Miss Ellymae 10. She sold for €2,960, achieving a hat-trick of top prices for breeder Maurice Harty.
Bred from the Ellymae family, she is backed by ten generations of VG/EX dams.
She was sired by Mr Moviestar Mardi Gras ET (S2032) and her dam is Ballylongane Miss Ellymae 5 VG87, who recorded 11,497kg of milk at 5.25% fat and 3.45% protein, which equates to 999kg of milk solids, in her third lactation last year.
Longevity is a strong feature of her maternal line with her next three dams averaging a lifetime longevity of eight lactations each.
Sample prices
Some more sample price from the show and sale inlcluded Lot 1011, Ocean Larmour Snowdrop; bred by Kieran Harty, she sold for €2,820.
Calved one week, she was sired by Monamore Larmour EX and is bred from three generations of VG/EX dams.
Her VG87 dam has recorded an average yield per lactation of 7,688kg of milk and 527kg of milk solids, in five completed lactations to date.
Her VG86 grand-dam and EX91 2E great-grand-dam both achieved lifetime longevity of nine lactations each.
She was followed by Lot 1004, Ballylongane L Daisy; bred by Maurice Harty, she sold for €2,680.
She is calved three weeks and her genetic profile includes an impressive milk solids predicted transmitting ability (PTA) of +42kg.
Her sire is Westcoast Perseus VG87 (FR4187) and her VG87 dam recorded 11,493kg of milk at 4.43% fat and 3.62% protein, which equates to 925kg of milk solids, in her second lactation of 322 days.
She subsequently calved in her third lactation gaining two days on calving interval.
Also of note is Lot 1010, Ocean Snowdrop Larmour 2157; also bred by Kieran Harty and bred from the same family and same sire as Lot 1011 above, she sold for €2,660.
Members of the Kerry club are looking forward to hosting the IHFA Judges Conference, which will take place in the Kingdom on May 26 and 27.