The trade was on fire for the Irish Salers Cattle Society breeding heifer Sale which was held in Gort Mart, Co Galway on Saturday, 14 October.

The annual show and sale saw large crowds of Salers breeders and enthusiasts gather In Gort Mart to watch 170 lots of pedigree Salers and Salers-cross females go under the hammer. The pre-sale show was judged by Co Mayo native, Keiran Flatley of the Glann Shorthorn herd.

The Overall Championship on the day was awarded to Wallstown Angel, a stylish maiden heifer by Powerstown Pedro that later sold for €3,300. She was bred by Jerry McNamara from Mitchelstown, Co Cork. The Reserve Champion in the pre-sale show was 13-month-old Sligo Brella that sold for €3,000. She was bred by Bernard Hunt from Gurteen, Co Sligo.

Top Prices

The sale was topped by two powerful roan Salers-cross in-calf heifers that sold for €4,150 and €4,000 respectively. The heifers which were both first and second prize winners and were exhibited by Seamus Nagle from Doolin, Co Clare who is well-known in cattle circles under the BullBank name. The heifers were both sired by the Salers bull Carrentubber Samurai and their dams were Shorthorn-cross Simmentals. After a flurry of bids at the ringside, both heifers were knocked down to Harrington Farms Ltd, Co Mayo.

In-calf and Maidens

Demand for both in-calf and maiden heifers was very strong at last Saturday’s sale. Pure bred in-calf heifers averaged €3,050 on the day with Brendan Murray from Crookstown, Co Cork receiving €3,500 for his first prize winner, Belmount Anto. David McNamara from Craughwell, Co Galway was next best securing €3,350 for a daughter of UK imported cow Parkfield Polled Clarrie, Ganty Ava,. Templeboy Bronagh, a Nevers sired maiden heifer sold for €3,450, she was bred by Niall Hunt from Templeboy, Co Sligo and trailing closely behind and securing €3,100 was the 19-month-old Glengowla Belle. The Montesqieu daughter was bred by Ryan Gibbons from Rosscahill, Co Galway. Hot on her heels was 10-month-old Ashbury Baby Spice. Baby Spice was bred by the father and son duo of Alfie and Conor Melvin from Co Dublin and sold for €3,050.

The top eight commercial in-calf heifers sold from €3,000 to €4,150 and met an average price of €3,375. Tom McGreal from Westport, Co Mayo sold an in-calf commercial heifer for €3,300. Michael O Sullivan, Inchiquin, Co Clare had three in-calf heifers ranging from €3,000 €3,300. Eddie Brennan from Co Kilkenny sold two in-calf commercial heifers for €3,000 and €3,200 respectively.

Pedigree maiden and weanling heifers averaged €2,756 and €2,533 respectively on the day. There was 100% clearance of 22 pedigree heifers and demand was strong for in-calf commercial heifers.

The top 22 commercial maiden heifers ranged in price from €1,800 to €2,600 with an average sale price that fell just shy of €2,000. The hammer fell for some of the more average lots for roughly €300 less than this.