Gabriel Sloyan’s Victoria Farms’ timed auction of in calf and maiden suckler breeding stock drew to a close with a top price for a heifer of €7,500.
The online only timed auction took place on the MartEye platform yesterday (Monday, August 28) in conjunction with Mid Tipperary Co Operative Livestock Mart, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.
Speaking to Agriland after the sale, Martin Ryan from Thurles Mart said: “The sale went very well, with a crossbred Belgian Blue heifer taking the top price of €7,500.”
The Thurles Mart manager remarked on the huge level of interest from young farmers below the age of 35 in the type of cattle on offer and said the four top-priced heifers were all bought by young farmers aged in their late-20s and early 30s.
The two top-priced heifers went to separate buyers in Co. Cavan and the third and fourth highest-priced heifers went to separate buyers in Co. Galway.
Taking the top price of €7,500 was Lot 3, a Belgian Blue-cross Limousin heifer sold as carrying a heifer calf to Limousin bull Elderberry Galahad (EBY) with an expected calving date of October 26.
Weighing 858kg, the heifer was described in the online sale catalogue as having “good bone, excellent plates, round rib, level topline, shoulder, chest and a sweet head”. This heifer sold to a new home in Co. Cavan.
The following lot fetched the second-highest price in the auction; selling for €6,000 was lot four, a Belgian Blue-cross Limousin heifer.
The heifer weighed 738kg and was sold as carrying a heifer calf to Limousin bull Loyal with an expected calving date of December 15. This heifer also found a new home on a separate farm in Co. Cavan.
The next highest price was Lot 1, a Belgian Blue-cross Charolais heifer selling for €5,200 to a young farmer from Co. Galway.
Weighing 863kg, this heifer scanned as carrying a bull calf to Limousin bull EBY with an expected calving date of October 25.
Taking the next highest price was Lot 5, a stylish Belgian Blue-sired cow weighing 908kg.
This cow was sold as carrying her second calf (bull calf) to Belgian Blue bull Tropique and has an expected calving date of September 12. This lot was secured by a young farmer from Co. Galway.