Pedigree Black & White genetics in vigorous demand with six cows achieving individual prices over €6,000.
A clearance sale of the Ballintosig herd of Anthony Flavin, Inch, Killeagh, Co. Cork took place on Friday March 31st last. The milking herd was offered for sale in 48 individual lots with an average price achieved of €3,704. A complete 100% clearance rate was achieved.
The Ballintosig herd is backboned by home-bred families who were Graded Up through the IHFA Grade Up service. Cow families include Annie, Amber, Lucy, Katie, Alice. A policy of all AI breeding has been adopted by Anthony since he commenced farming and the herd has been milk recording for over forty years. Every animal born in the herd is Genomically tested soon after birth. With a herd EBI rating of €252 it ranks within the top 1% of all herds Nationally. Ballintosig genetics has consistently commanded major interest from AI stations in recent years with over ten bulls purchased for AI breeding to date. The milk recorded performance of the herd last year was 7,426 kgs milk, 595 kgs milk solids, 4.24 % Fat, 3.78 % Protein (296 days). Cell count averaged 99. The herd is all Spring calving.
From the crowd in attendance, it was obvious from the outset that the sale catalogue had generated a huge level of interest. Seven cows commanded prices over €5,000.
Ballintosig FR4785 Amber 939 (Lot 15) sold for €8,150 achieved the top price. She is bred from four generations of VG/EX Dams. She is the mother of the AI bull Ballintosig Star Trek (FR8862). She has an EBI of €288 and is six weeks fresh in her second lactation. As a heifer she recorded 6,208 kgs milk 557 kgs milk solids, 4.99 % Fat, 4.00 % Protein (305 d).
Ballintosig FR4439 Amber 893 VG85 (Lot 16) sold for €8,050 achieved the next highest price. She is one of the highest Protein % cows in the herd having recorded over 4.00 % Protein in her first two lactations. Her VG85 Dam and EX91 2E Grand Dam have recorded over 3.80 % Protein in their ten lactations in total to date. Calved two months in her third lactation on sale day she has an EBI of €271 with a PTA of +0.26 % Fat, +0.25 % Protein.
Ballintosig FR4021 Amber 909 VG85 (Lot 5) sold for €7,400. Classified VG85 she is bred from two generations of VG/EX Dams. Calved since late January, she is in her third lactation. In her second lactation she recorded 7,419 kgs milk, 648 kgs milk solids, 4.66 % Fat, 4.06 % Protein (308 d). She is the Dam of the AI Bull Ballintosig Mister Man (FR7749).
Two members of the Annie cow family achieved the next highest prices over €6,000 respectively. Ballintosig OTS Annie 977 (Lot 44) sold for €6,250. Calved eight weeks as a fresh heifer, she has an EBI of €330 which ranks in the top 1% Nationally. Her VG85 Dam recorded 8,640 kgs milk, 699 kgs milk solids, 4.38 % Fat, 3.72 % Protein in her fourth lactation (298 days) with SCC of 72.
Ballintosig FR4439 Annie 900 (Lot 39) sold for €6,000. Six weeks fresh in her third lactation. She is classified GP83 on Conformation. She recorded 7,149 kgs milk, 598 kgs milk solids, 4.29 % Fat, 4.07 % Protein in her second lactation (296 days) with SCC of 45.
Both Lots 44 and 39 are bred from the same cow family tracing back to Ballintosig GIO Annie 479 EX90 3E with a lifetime yield of 59,103 kgs milk, 4,234 kgs milk solids, 3.65 % Fat, 3.52 % Protein with longevity of eight lactations. She is a full sister to the AI sire Ballintosig Andrew (AWB) who now has over 8,300 milking daughters in his proof.
Ballintosig FR4439 Katie 899 VG85 (Lot 24) sold for €5,350. Calved in on her third lactation since early February she recorded 6,817 kgs milk, 568 kgs milk solids, 4.34 % Fat, 3.99 % Protein last year (296 days) with SCC of 41. Her VG87 Dam recorded 7,376 kgs milk, 654 kgs milk solids, 4.96 % Fat, 3.91 % Protein in her fourth lactation (305 d) last year with SCC of 41.
Ten cows achieved prices ranging between €4,000 – €5,000.
The sale was conducted by Cork Marts and was held at its impressive sales premises in Corrin, Fermoy.
Speaking with Anthony after the sale he commented that he was pleased overall while it was a bittersweet day marking the end of an era and a lifetime’s work. He intends to offer the current maiden heifers and heifer calves at auction early next year.
