The Alexander family has built up a strong reputation for sourcing top-quality heifers which go on to do well for purchasers.

Many of these heifers are sourced in the south of Ireland.

A wide variety of breeds is also a key feature of the Jalex sales and last Saturday’s sale saw 199 heifers sold to average £2,504.50 (€2,980), with 78 successful purchasers from the UK and Ireland, with 25% of the heifers sold to the UK mainland.

Show-quality heifers hit big money, with the general run of heifers selling for £1,700 to £2,200 (€2,023 to €2,619).

Leading the way at £10,000 (€11,904), a new record for this sale, was a Belgian Blue-cross heifer sired by Sheehill Fearless, an Empire D O Chain son out of a Wilodge Topgun-sired cow. She was carrying a heifer calf by Brookland Poet and sold to a Scottish farmer.

Limousin-cross heifers sold to £6,700 (€7,976) for a heifer sired by Ampertaine Commander. She was carrying a heifer calf to a Grove Farm bull sired by Ewdenvale Ivor and was purchased by Ivan Llynn, Armoy, Co Antrim.

The Llynns also went to £4,100 (€4,880) for the leading Charolais heifer, a Fury Action-sired heifer.

Simmental heifers sold to a top of £3,000 (€3,571) for a purebred unregistered heifer. She sold scanned with a heifer calf to Cavan-based Jim Heery.