Tullamore Mart, Co Offaly, was the venue for the Irish Hereford Breed Society’s inaugural show and sale of heifers on Saturday.

Following the pre-sale inspection, a selection of 18 export-tested heifers went for auction, ranging from maiden to in-calf.

Auctioneer Eamon Gaffney reported just one heifer unsold and an average sale price of €3,170 in what was a flying trade.

Sale topper

The sale leader came in the form of Appel 1 Molloy 15, which sold for €4,500.

Exhibited by Cork breeder John Appelbe, this June 2023-born heifer was catalogued with a five-star replacement index of €137 and a dairy beef index of €118.

A full polled heifer, Molloy is a daughter of Fabb 1 Northern Star and the Dernaroy 1 Impact daughter Appel 1 Molloy 14. She will join Michael Bird’s Dunlever pedigree herd in Co Meath.

Glaslough Yoselin, overall champion, which sold for €4,400, exhibited by Nigel Heatrick, with judge Phillip Lynch. \ Shanon Kinahan

Judge Phillip Lynch found his overall champion in Glaslough Yoselin, bred and exhibited in Co Monaghan by Nigel Heatrick.

This Cill Cormaic Quinlan daughter was born in May 2022 and sold in-calf to the homebred stock bull Glaslough Stan.

Despite being scarce on stars, this horned heifer attracted significant interest in the sale ring before selling at €4,400 to a herd in Co Offaly.

The same herd also secured Nigel’s second entry Glaslough Annabelle for a sum of €4,000.

This 26-month-old heifer is a daughter of Kye Nero 903 and Glaslough Veronica and sold in-calf to the herd’s junior stock bull Castledaly Kean.

Trading at €4,250 was the reserve champion Shiloh-Farm Jasmine PH, brought out by breeder Hugh Murray from Co Westmeath.

Born in July 2023, this heterozygous polled heifer is a daughter of Dovea Genetics’ Corlismore Cormac 076 and a Pute Nascar N13-bred cow. Michael Dullea secured Jasmine for his Deelish pedigree herd in Co Cork.

Five-star replacement heifer

John Appelbe was back in the limelight once again when he realised €4,000 for the July 2023-born heifer Appel 1 Beautiful.

Once again, stars were in abundance, as Beautiful displayed a replacement index of €175, along with a dairy beef index of €134.

A daughter of Fabb 1 Northern Star and a Solpoll 1 Lawman-bred cow, this full polled heifer found a new home on a farm in Co Galway.

Trillick George daughter Clooncullane Edie 516 ET hit €3,500 for breeder Coman Neary from Co Roscommon, while Aidan Farrell from Co Westmeath received a call of €3,400 for Mountwilliams Rachell, a July 2022-born daughter of Pule Nascar N13.

Pick up a copy of this week's Irish Farmers Journal to read all about it.