The annual dairy and suckler sale took place in Newport Mart on the Tipperary Limerick border today Friday (27 December). The dairy sale was held first in the main ring and a mix of in-calf and freshly calved black and white heifers started going through the ring shortly after 11.15am.
By 1pm, about 45 dairy bred stock had passed through the ring.
The first eight individual lots were well bred in calf heifers, EBIs from €200 to €300, and ranging in weight from 520 kg to 430kg. The best four heifers made €1,500 each and then the other four made between €1,110 and €1,440. Genuine stock, all vaccinated and in good order they set the tone for a strong dairy sale.
Any strong heifers, well-bred and calving in February and March all made with a touch of €1,500 to get the hammer. The lower prices in general were for the lighter, younger stock with an unknown calving date.
In-calf heifers
Another batch of 2023 born in-calf heifers from a Lorrha-based farmer with EBIs to €250, weighing between 310 and 350kg and calving in February and March to a Pedigree Friesian bull made between €820 and €990 each with a number going out of the ring unsold.
There were a number of calved cows from an Abbeyfeale farmer and the best freshly calved cows made €1,800 with many of the group making €1,700 each.
Suckler sale
The suckler sale got up and going by 1.30pm and the rising beef price had a positive impact on quality stock.
In general, quality continental bred in-calf heifers calving in March and April weighing over 600kg made over €1,700 to €1,900 each. One Pedigree red Limousin heifer, calving in February and weighing 600kg in-calf to the Aberdeen Angus, made €2,500.
Sample prices: a 645kg red Simmental made €1,850, a 595kg black Limousin born February 2022 made €1,900, a 655kg second calver, black Angus, 2021-born made €1,700, a Red Limousin heifer, born June 2022 made €1,830. They were all scanned in-calf to a five-star Limousin to calve February and March. Lot 229, a 615kg red limousin born February 2022 with a replacement index of €147 made €2,530. Lot 233, red limousin calving February/March, weighing 565kg made €2,160. Lot 234, a comrade red heifer made €2,210.
Cows and calves
There were a number of cow and calf combinations and they all made well over €2,000. A number of Belgian Blue bred cows born 2022 with a calf at foot made up to €2,280. Sample prices: a 2022-born Belgian Blue cow with an AI bred Limousin calf made €2,150. Another 2022- born black Limousin with a red Limousin bull calf made €2,110.
There was a clearance herd (16 cows) sale for the Reps of the late Bobby Richardson killed in a farm accident in Limerick in the summer. His excellent suckler herd went under the hammer with a top price of €2,900 for a Charolais second calver scanned in calf for February or March. A lot of her comrades (10) made €2,200 and €2,600. The balance made between €1,500 and €1,900.
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