A number of specialist in-calf heifer producers are in operation over the last number of years, with the system being particularly popular in the northwestern region.

A number of special sales in marts all over the country are planned over the next few months, with the first of these taking place in Carrigallen Mart last Monday night.

Mart manager Helen Kells said: “We had a packed house on Monday night, with a lot of new customers in the yard.

“Trade for cull cows remains very strong and a few farmers who actually sold cows on Monday night in the cull ring were back around the suckler ring buying heifers.

“Cull cows are making as high as €2,500, so it doesn’t take that much to go along with them to replace them. Weanlings are also staring off a solid trade, which is also helping confidence.”

Top call on the night went to a September 2019-born Limousin-cross-Charolais heifer in-calf carrying a heifer calf to EBY with her time up on 23 October 2022. She sold for €5,000.

The 38 heifers on the night averaged €3,250/head, with three of the heifers being exported to Northern Ireland.

Most of the heifers were calving within the next few months to AI Limousin bulls.

The majority of heifers sold for between €2,800 and €3,500, with a number of heifers crossing the €4,000/head barrier.

In pictures

This April 2020-born Charolais heifer is due to calve to a hybrid Belgian Blue bull on 15 September. She sold for €3,200.

This October 2019-born Limousin heifer is scanned in-calf with a heifer calf due to calve to EBY on 30 October 2022. She sold for €3,500.

This September 2019-born heifer is scanned in-calf with a heifer calf due to calve in October 2022 to EBY. She sold for €5,000.

This June 2019-born Belgian Blue heifer is scanned in-calf to a hybrid Belgian Blue bull due to calve in September 2022. She sold for €2,600.

This March 2020-born Limousin heifer is sired by Lodge Hamlet. She sold in-calf to LM2014, due to calve in October 2022, for €3,200.