The dispersal of the entire 130-cow Ivy Herd of pedigree Holstein cattle and followers, owned by Mark Blelock, Crumlin, Co Antrim, took place last Thursday at Dungannon Mart in a sale conducted by Taaffe Auctions.

The sale provided a rare opportunity to acquire high-calibre stock. According to auctioneer Michal Taaffe, the crowd at the sale was the largest he had seen in Dungannon.

When combined with the robust cows on offer, bred to commercial principles, it was the perfect storm, leading to fantastic prices on the day.

The calves were sold after their dams and with most PLIs over £500, peaking at £688, it really showed the genetic progress the herd has been making.

Top-priced calves sold for 2,400gns on two occasions for red and white animals with PLIs of £620.

In-calf heifers sold to 3,000gns for an Applaud daughter from an EX92 dam, which produced 13,433l at 4% fat, 3.12% protein in her third lactation.

Just behind at 2,900 and 2,700gns were red and white in-calf heifers.

Among cows in-milk, the top price of 5,100gns was achieved on three occasions.

The first was for a September 2021-born VG87 red and white cow projected to do over 11,000l.

Also sold for the top price was a September 22 VG red and white first lactation heifer and a September 2021-born cow, which produced 9,504l at 3.84% fat and 3.01% protein in her first lactation. Across the sale, cows in-milk sold to an exceptional average of 3,119gns, with in-calf cows at 2,090gns and in-calf heifers selling to an average of 2,096gns.

In the younger age groups, served heifers sold for an average of 1,380gns, with maiden heifers at 1,050gns and autumn 2024-born calves, averaging 1,444gns.