Over the past number of months, freshly calved cows have been in high demand, with buyers from across Ireland and the North bidding online to secure top-quality lots.

Even with unrest in recent times with Glanbia putting a cap on milk production for suppliers, demand remains as strong as ever.

This was certainly the case last Friday in Corrin Mart, Fermoy, as 100 high-EBI milkers went under the hammer.

This second calver had an EBI of €202 and 5,380kg in her first lactation with 4.7% fat and 3.59% protein. She sold for €2,540.

The entries came from eight breeders and all but two left the ring sold, recording an impressive average of €2,100.

Along with the impressive average, prices rose to a massive €4,000.

Securing the top price was Loughananna Daisy 354 from the herd of Joe Kearney, Mitchelstown, Co Cork.

This second calver had an EBI of €188 and gave 4,839kgs in her last lactation of 5.01% fat and 4.12% protein. She sold for €2,440

This heifer calved in mid-January and, as she came from a milk-recorded herd, she has a projected milk yield of over 6,000kg, with fat at 4.08% and protein at 3.38%.

Sired by Haggard Franco, this 69% Holstein heifer carried an EBI of €188.

In total, Kearney sold all his 14 lots for an impressive average of €2,290.

This second calver had an EBI of €166 and gave 5,327kg in her first lactation of 3.7% protein. She sold for €2,100.

Forty-one of the lots on offer came from the Ardglare herd outside Mitchelstown. Owned by Quinlan Farms, the herd calves down 180 cows, selling 90 in milk around this time each year for the past 30 years.

The herd splits the offering, with the remaining lots going under the hammer this Friday in Fermoy.

This second calver had an EBI of €188 and gave 5,771kg of milk in her first lactation of 3.68% protein. She sold for €2,760.

A similar balanced cow will again be on offer, with the herd aiming for a high-solids producing cow that’s hard wearing and lasts.

Of the 41 Ardglare females on offer last Friday, all sold to a cracking average of €2,320.

Top of these was a price of €2,980 for Ardglare Fr2314 Linda.

This second calver had an EBI of €188 and 4,515kg in her last lactation at 4.87% fat and 4.02% protein. She sold for €2,520.

This powerful second-calver gave over 5,800kg in her first lactation, with protein hitting 3.91%.

Sired by Gortcreen Sebastain, the three-year-old carried an EBI of €205.

Just behind this at €2,960 was Ardglare Eimer.

This second calver had an EBI of €205 and 5,839kg in her first lactation of 4.34% fat and 3.91% protein. She sold for €2,980.

Another second-calved cow, Eimer produced 4,968kg last year, with protein hitting over 4%. This super daughter of Sheanmore Cheesemaker had an EBI of €184.

Other lots

This second calver had an EBI of €184 and gave 5,266kg of milk last year of 3.68% protein. She sold for €2,160.

This second calver had an EBI of €184 and gave 4,968kg in her last lactation with 4.02% protein. She sold for €2,960.

This second calver had an EBI of €170 and 5,610kg of milk in her last lactation of 3.82% protein. She sold for €2,640.

This second calver had an EBI of €194 and 4,028kg in her last lactation with 4.83% fat and 4.11% protein. She sold for €2,340.

This third calver had an EBI of €164 and 5,488kg in her last lactation of 4.22% fat and 4.03% protein. She sold for €2,100.

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