Jalex livestock has become renowned for bringing some of the finest commercial heifers to the Irish and UK markets in recent years.

Based in Co Antrim, the herd is run by James Alexander who takes pride in producing show quality heifers.

The herd recently offered 72 heifers for sale in an online timed auction through Harrison and Hetherington via MartEye.

All the heifers on offer were eligible for export to the UK or Republic of Ireland, with the majority due to calve down in spring 2025. When the ‘Herd for the Holidays’ sale closed, 62 heifers had found new homes, averaging £3,862.

Stand-out heifer

Leading the trade at £8,100 was a stand-out Belgian Blue-cross heifer sired by Progressive Genetics’ Patissier De La Grande Rose.

This exceptional 25-month-old heifer was purchased at the Winter Fair in Carrick-on-Shannon in 2023, and went to sale scanned in-calf with a bull calf sired by the herd’s Limousin stock bull Corcamore Romeo.

This Belgian Blue-cross heifer sold for £7,200. / Alfie Shaw

Selling at £7,200 was another Belgian Blue-cross Limousin heifer, this time sired by stock bull Banriver Mandy, a Hazard VD Pannemeers son. Born in April 2022, this five-star heifer sold five months in-calf to Corcamore Romeo carrying a heifer calf.

Limousin-cross

Next best at £5,600 was a Limousin-cross-Belgian Blue heifer named The Postman's Daughter.

This stylish February 2022-born heifer was bred in Co Westmeath by Enda and Aisling Magee and went for auction carrying a heifer calf sired by Corcamore Romeo.

This Limousin-cross heifer sold for £5,600. / Alfie Shaw

Hitting £5,500 was another heifer sourced at the Winter Fair in Carrick.

A Belgian Blue-cross-Limousin going back to a Simmental-bred cow, this powerful heifer is sired by Dovea Genetics’ Herbert VD Noord Wateringshoev.

Born in August 2021, she carries one copy of both the F94L and NT821 myostatin genes.

Pedigree Belgian Blue heifer

A bid of £5,400 secured Bluestar Q Girl, a pedigree Belgian Blue heifer sired by Tattoo VD Sysloberg. This double NT821 heifer carries some of the breeds icons in her lineage in Dafydd and Nelson.

Born in May 2021, she sold scanned with a heifer calf due in April to Corcamore Romeo.

Purchased as a calf at the Elite commercial cattle sale in Stranorlar, a May 2022-born Belgian Blue-cross heifer realised £5,300.

Sired by Progressive Genetics’ top blue sire New Red, this nicely coloured heifer went to auction carrying a Limousin heifer calf due in April.

Also breaching the £5,000 mark was another pedigree Belgian Blue heifer sired by the aforementioned New Red.

Born in March 2022, this flashy heifer was shown successfully as a calf and catalogued due to calve in March with a heifer calf. She closed at £5,100.

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