Donegal Club sale of calved heifers tops €3,860

Full Clearance as 41 heifers average €2,841 writes Donal Carey

The Donegal Holstein Friesian Breeders club annual sale of fresh calved heifers on Wednesday March 5th witnessed a very brisk trade as 41 heifers sold for an average price of €2,841. The catalogue offering was once again to a high standard with a quality offering of top merit heifers assembled for the annual show and sale event organised by the club.

Sale Overview

  • Top price €3,860
  • 41 Heifers averaged €2,841
  • 16 Heifers sold for prices in excess of €3,000
  • 6 Heifers sold for prices in excess of €3,500

Culcara Olympus Frieda 1 (Lot 38) bred by Charles McCandless, Culdaff sold for €3,860 was the sale topper. Calved five weeks, she is yielding 32 litres/day. She calved in at 23 months of age and is sired by Hanrahan Olympus (FR5239). Her Dam Culcara Lotus Frieda 2 VG85 recorded 11,138 kgs milk, 783 kgs milk solids in her third lactation.

Culcara Olympus Janice (Lot 17) also bred by Charles McCandless sold for €3,780 was the next top price. Calved less than a month she is yielding 35 litres/day. She has a PTA of +264 kgs milk, +28 kgs milk solids, +0.12 % Fat, +0.03 % Protein. Her sire is Hanrahan Olympus (FR5239) and she is bred from a VG Dam, now in her 3rd lactation and performing well in the Culcara herd.

Culcara Olympus Fame 2 (Lot 5) sold for €3,750 completed a trio of top prices for Charles McCandless on the day. Calved five weeks at exactly two years of age, she is yielding 30 litres/day. Bred from the “Fame” family she is a potential 12th generation VG/EX.

  • Culcara Praser Ruth (Lot 15) calved five weeks and yielding 36 litres/day sold for €3,740.
  • Culcara Olympus Fame (Lot 27) calved one month and yielding 32 litres/day sold for €3,540.

A summary of other prices includes

Ballyelly Boeing Flo (Lot 14) bred by Trevor Lockhart, Ramelton sold for €3,300. She won Honourable Mention in the pre-sale show. Calved two months, she is yielding 32 litres/day. Sired by Dewgood 737 Boeing P Red (FR6874) she is a potential 8th generation VG/EX. Her Dam Ballyelly Punch Florence EX 3E recorded a 6th lactation yield of 11,071 kgs, 912 kgs milk solids, 4.81 % Fat, 3.42 % Protein, SCC 36, (303d).

Ballyelly Beoing P Precious (Lot 4) bred by Trevor Lockhart, Ballyelly herd, who was the Champion in the pre-sale show sold for €2,950. Calved less than three weeks, she is yielding 30 litres/day. Also sired by the AI bull Boeing P Red, her Grand Dam Crossnacole D Back Precious 2 EX 2E recorded a 4th lactation yield of 11,316 kgs milk, 819 kgs milk solids (305 d).

 

Vendors on the day also included Alastier & Catherine Grier, Ramelton and Kenneth Witherow, Convoy. Raphoe Livestock mart was the venue.

Alexander Tinney, Drumcairn herd, Letterkenny was the Judge of the pre-sale show.

Results

Champion Ballyelly Boeing P Precious Trevor Lockhart
Reserve Culcara Olympus Elsie Charles McCandless
H. Mention Ballyelly Boeing Flo Trevor Lockhart

 

The next club sale of calved heifers will take place on Wednesday April 23rd at Raphoe mart.