Camera at the Mart: electric trade for Shorthorn heifers in Elphin

On Saturday 18 October, the Croghan and Moyside Shorthorn Breeders Club held its annual sale of pedigree-registered and Shorthorn-cross cattle in Elphin Mart.

Breeding heifers ranged from in-calf to maidens and weanlings, with just two bulls on offer. The majority of the 82 heifers in the sale were under one year old and averaged €2,300, as 77 found new homes.

There was a ripping ringside and online trade, with 68% selling ringside and 32% trading online.

Prices peaked at €4,600 for the five-star July 2024-born maiden heifer Ardnaskea Lucky, a daughter of Ballyart Lucky ET from Patrick Hehir in Co Sligo. Michael Joe Doherty from Co Mayo sold Kilbeagh Lynx for €4,300, a seven-month-old heifer calf out of Barnhill Ploughman.

Maidens and weanlings were really on fire, as Angela McGahern from Granard in Co Longford received an average of €3,735 for three seven-month-old weanling heifers.

In-calf heifers peaked at €3,900 on two occasions for Corrawallen Pansy from Cecil Bowes in Co Leitrim, a five-star May 2023-born daughter of Finiskill Bressie 8th, and Taunagh Bernice from Albert Oldfield in Co Sligo, a four-star January 2023-born heifer which sold six months in-calf.