€8,150 top price at Mayo breeding heifer sale
BUSINESS ran late into the night on Friday at Balla Mart's special evening breeding heifer sale, with top quality stock on show.
The top price was achieved by a 745kg Belgian Blue heifer, sold by a Co. Sligo breeder for €8,150, sired by Bova 'Ross Brendan ET'. The heifer was sold following a lot of online bidding to a buyer from the north.
Saturday's regular sale saw a bigger sale, with bullocks up a bit again due to the number of additional buyers around the ring more eager for cattle. A lot of forward stores 500kg plus were up by around €100 and strong 700kg plus bullocks were up by €175 to €300.
There were 60 strong Continental bullocks 600kg plus and they were in great demand. Strong Continental bullocks weighing 660kg to 720kg, for the first time in weeks, made in excess of €3,000.
Bullocks 300kg to 400kg averaged €4.47/kg - up 5 cent/kg on last week; bullocks 400kg to 500kg averaged €4.45/kg - up 2 cent/kg; and those 500kg plus averaged €3.95/kg - up 29 cent/kg overall, with some better.
Top prices in the bullocks included:
390kg CHX €2,110 (€5.41/kg)
415kg CHX €2,500 (€6.02/kg)
535kg CHX €2,920 (€5.46/kg)
660kg CHX €3,030 (€4.59/kg)
720kg LMX €3,240 (€4.50/kg)
Following the special breeding sale on Friday with its 260 heifers, there were another 320 lots on Saturday. They met a fine trade and all the averages were up.
A forward Limousin heifer born April ’25 and weighing 505kg was sold by a Shrule farmer for €3,500 (€6.93/kg). But the most striking example was a local farmer who had a 495kg Belgian Blue heifer that made €3,120 (€6.30/kg), which will probably go for export.
Heifers 300kg to 400kg averaged €4.14/kg - up 38 cent/kg; heifers 400kg to 500kg averaged €4.06/kg - up 15 cent/kg; and heifers 500kg plus averaged €3.94/kg - up 12 cent/kg.
Top prices in the heifers included:
345kg CHX €1,820 (€5.28/kg)
495kg BBX €3,120 (€6.30/kg)
505kg LMX €3,500 (€6.93/kg)
Dry cows 500kg plus were making €3.40/kg - up 5 cent/kg on last week.
Four dry cows made in excess of €3,000, with a 830kg Limousin sold for €3,380 by a farmer from Kilmaine.
A May ‘24 born Charolais cow due in December to ‘Loyal’ made €4,100 for a Castlebar farmer.
Saturday next will be the end of month Continental sale with booking on Wednesday on low call 0818 301 401.