Tullamore Farm held its annual draft heifer sale on Wednesday 21 October in Central Auctions, Roscrea, Co Tipperary.

The sale included 24 in-calf heifers and five maiden heifers. All heifers were genotyped four- and five-star on the replacement index and are eligible for the BDGP scheme.

The majority of the heifers were by AI sires QCD, ZAG, Biouvac, Curaheen Earp and Dereen Declan.

Heifers were all in-calf to EBY, ULSAN, LM2014 and the Salers stock bull on Tullamore Farm and are due to calve in January, February and March 2021.

The average replacement index of the group of heifers was €132. The breeding programme on the farm is centred around having a good functional R grade cow that is capable of producing good R or U grade progeny.

The heifers were all spring 2019-born and have been managed on a forage-based diet for the duration of their lifetime.

Heifers were all vaccinated against BVD and lepto and had all been scanned in-calf to AI or natural service dates.

The sale-topper was lot 820, a March 2019 Derreen Declan heifer with a five-star replacement index of €144 in-calf to LM2014 for February 20121 and she sold for €2,100.

Commenting on the sale, Tullamore Farm manager Shaun Diver said: "We were delighted with how the sale went. We weren't expecting the average to be that high.

"There was a higher demand for AI-bred heifers and those in-calf to AI bulls. When you're in the middle of the breeding season and bringing groups in for AI, you sometimes ask the question is it worth it, but it definitely is.

"There were a number of repeat customers back again this year and they purchased heifers and that's the real highlight for me. That means our stock are doing what they are supposed to do and that's the best part for me."

In pictures

Sale-topper lot 820. Genotyped five stars, with a replacement index of €144, +17kg for carcase weight and +8.4kg for milk. Sire Dereen Declan has a replacement index of €171. Dam previously bred U grade progeny. Calved at 26 months and has a calving interval of 350 after four calvings. Due to calve on 15 February 2021 to LM2014. She sold for €2,100.

Lot 802. Five-star genotyped heifer. Replacement index: €166. Sired by: QCD. Due 5 February to EBY. She sold for €2,050.

Lot 800. AA heifer. Replacement index: €126. Genotyped five-star. +8kg for daughter milk. Due 21 February 2021 to Salers stock bull. She sold for €1,180.

Lot 801. Genotyped five-star. Replacement index: €117. +8.2kg for milk. Sired by EBY. Due 21 March to LM2014. She sold for €1,220.

Lot 803. Sired by QCD. ADG as calf: 1.29kg/day. Replacement index: €148. Genotyped: five stars. Due 16 February to EBY. She sold for €1,540.

Lot 804. Genotyped five stars. Replacement index: €142. +11.5kg for milk. Due 6 February 2020 to SA2189. She sold for €1,650.

Lot 805. Sired by: Craheen Earp. Genotyped five-star. Replacement index: €182. Due 14 February 2020 to EBY. She sold for €1,760.

Lot 806. Genotyped five-star. Replacement index: €115. Sired by ZAG. Due 4 February to LM2014. She sold for €1,220.

Lot 807. Sired by Bivouac. Replacement index: €132. Genotyped five-star. +10kg for milk. Due 1 February to EBY. She sold for €1,850.

Lot 808. Sired by Bivouac. Replacement index: €156. Genotyped five-star. Due 2 February to EBY. She sold for €1,220.

Lot 809. Sired by ZAG. Replacement index: €124. Genotyped five-star. Due 18 March 2020 to Salers stock bull. She sold for €1,160.

Lot 810. Genotyped five-star. Replacement index: €131. Dam's calving interval: 356 days. Due 8 March 2020 to Salers stock bull. She sold for €1,600.

Lot 811. Genotyped five stars. Replacement index: €186. +13kg for milk. Sired by AHC. Due 10 February to LM2014. She sold for €1,940.

Lot 812. Genotyped five-star. Replacement index: €129. Dam calved at 23 months and has a calving interval of 347 days. Due 20 February to SA2189. She sold for €1380

Lot 814. Genotyped five-star. Replacement index: €134. +9kg for milk. Sired by AHC. Due 6 February to LM2014.She sold for €1,590.

Lot 817. A March 2019 born QCD heifer with a replacement index of €137. She was scanned in calf to the Salers stock bull for 8 March 2020. She sold for €1,650.

This March 2019 born maiden heifer was by QCD with a 5 star replacement index of €111 and she sold for €1,120.

This March 2019 born maiden heifer was by QCD and she sold for €1,210.

Lot 818: A five-star heifer with a replacement index of €135. Average daily gain as a calf was 1.46kg/day. +19kg for carcase weight and +8.9kg for milk. Sired by: Bivouac. Dam’s previous calf killed as U- 423kg at 16 months. Dam’s calving interval is 357 days having calved at 24 months. She is due to calve on 20 February 2020 to the AI sire EBY. She sold for €1,840.

Lot 819: Genotyped five stars with a replacement index of €127. She is +15 for carcase weight and +10kg for milk. Sired by one of the highest-ranked Simmentals available in AI, Derreen Declan. Dam’s first calf killed 365kg at 14 months. This year’s calf is doing 1.34kg/day. Due on 8 March 2020 to Salers bull. She sold for €1,940.