Camera at the Mart: high milk solids driver of dairy sale

Average prices were up €260/head on last year at the dairy in-calf heifer sale in Corrin Mart on Friday last.

There was an average price of €1,660 paid this year, an increase of €260 on this time last year.

A top price of €2,620 was paid for a February 2023-born Friesian heifer with an EBI of €250 and due to calve in February 2025.

In all, 20 heifers sold for over €2,000 and all 135 heifers on offer were AI-bred and only five went home unsold.

Heifers were mostly selling for between €1,400 and €2,100, with a small number available on either side of that price range.

Buyers were willing to shell out for heifers from milk-recorded herds with good figures, with an extra focus on milk solids and heifers coming from dams that were producing in excess of 600kg/MS fetching a premium.

Serious solids

Speaking after the sale, mart manager Sean Leahy said: “To get over the €2,000 they needed to have a high percentage of British Friesian and have serious milk solids in their breeding.

"After that, strength and power played a big factor. There were a few not milk recorded and they were making from €1,500 to €2,000.

"Compared to last year, the top end of the sale was about €250 over the 2023 price, but the mid-range were probably €400 dearer. There’s lot of factors feeding into that.

"We’re coming into a good milk price and that’s putting a bit more confidence into things. I think the cull cow price is a factor too.

The quality of the stock was exceptional and the prices reflected.

"This is a renowned sale, with mostly all the same sellers and people know what they’re getting. We’d have an awful lot of repeat customers who want to buy their replacements in that sale every year."

Leahy also reported extra buyers this year.

More locals

“There were more locals - they were very active, especially where they culled very hard in the last number of weeks and are going out now replacing with high-end heifers. Trying to upgrade their genetics a small bit."

In-calf dairy stock are a bit thinner on the ground too and he expects prices to hold firm into the new year.

“We have a number of clearance sales booked in for January, but after that I think numbers will get a bit tighter.”