Dairy trade holding strong as heifers make up to €4,640
The dairy trade is continuing to hold strong across the marts of Ireland this week, with heifers making as much as €4,640.
The demand is stong for good quality milking cows, who are ready to enter the parlour immediately.
Quality in calf heifers, cull cows, and calves are all flying through the marts also.
There was several dairy sales during the week, with domestic trade continuing to drive the trade.
Athenry Mart
Athenry Mart in Co. Galway held a strong dairy sale during the week, with more than 50 dairy cows going under the hammer.
The top price achieved on the day was €2,760, given for a February-2024-born heifer weighing in at 420kg who calved 10 days ago, and boasts an EBI of €185.
Kiniska Legacy Fran 3 was close behind her, making €2,700. The February-2024-born pedigree registered heifer weighed 430kg.
She had won second place prize heifer in the show, with an EBI of €139, with a €54 milk sub-index and a €41 fertility sub index.
Massmore Laura 3324 was crowned the champion of the dairy cows on the day.
The January-2024-born heifer calved down in February and is currently producing 21L.
She boasted an EBI of €177, with traits of 27kg milk at 8.75kg fat and 4.23kg protein, as well as a fertility sub-index of €103.
The pedigree registered Friesian went under the hammer for €2,650.
The champion calf on the day was a month-old Belgian Blue cross weighing 70kg, selling for €700.
The overall dairy sale averaged a price of €1,883/head following some lower valued older cows.
Bandon
Bandon Mart in Co. Cork also held a large dairy sale during the week, with over 90 head of stock on offer.
A February-2024-born pedigree registered heifer achieved the top price of the sale, going under the hammer for €4,640.
The heifer had an EBI of €239, with a €92 milk sub-index broken into traits of 88kg milk at 12.94kg fat and 10.74kg protein. She also had a €98 fertility sub-index.
A total of 32 other lots cleared the €2,000 mark on the day, with some of the best sellers listed below:
- €3,240 for a pedigree in-calf heifer (€229 EBI);
- €3,100 for a pedigree calved heifer (€238 EBI);
- €3,040 for a pedigree in-calf heifer (€202 EBI).
There was a full clearance rate achieved on the day.
