A number of special sales have taken place over the Christmas holiday period with a big crowd flocking to Carrigallen mart in Co Leitrim for a special sale of in-calf heifers.

Herbie Griffith, who farms just outside Ballinagh in Co Cavan specialises in the production of in-calf heifers. He scours the country each year looking for suitable high quality maiden and weanling heifers, puts them in-calf and then has a number of standalone sales in Carrigallen mart each year.

Over 50 heifers went through the ring at Saturday’s sale with the top price going to a January 2022-born Belgian Blue heifer due to calve in January 2025 to EBY selling for €6,100.

Auctioneer Eamon Gaffney described the trade as electric with huge online activity for the top heifers in the sale. People travelled from as far away as Mayo to buy heifers in the sale which saw the average price come in at just under €4,000/head.

For the full sale report, pick up a copy of this week’s Irish Farmers Journal, in shops on Thursday.

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Lot 10, a January 2022-born Belgian Blue cross heifer due to calve on 31 January to EBY sold for €6,100.

This May 2022-born Limousin heifer due to calve on 31 January 2025 to EBY sold for €5,500.

This April 2022-born Charolais cross first calver sold with her heifer calf at foot for €5,450.

This July 2021-born Limousin/Salers cross heifer sold in-calf to a Limousin hybrid bull due to calve on 29 January 2025 for €5,050.

This January 2022-born heifer sold in-calf to the Shorthorn stock bull due to calve on 28 February 2025 for €5,000.

This March 2022-born Belgian Blue heifer sold in-calf to EBY and due to calve on 31 January 2025 to EBY for €4,900.