Heifer prices reached €3,700 in Ireland this week
Irish dairy sale
The annual Carnaross dairy sale was held at Carnaross Mart in County Meath as activity increased in Ireland’s autumn dairy trade. More than 50 freshly calved heifers and cows were offered, alongside a number of heifers in calf.
The highest price was paid for Hallow Lambda Serenity 1995, a pedigree Holstein born in March 2024. Bred by Philip Jones of Hallow Holsteins, the animal was sired by Farnear Delta-Lambda-ET. The bull also sired Knowlesmere Lvictory, which was named intermediate Holstein champion and received the overall honourable mention at the recent FBD National Dairy Show.
The heifer’s dam was Hallow Applicable Senerty EX90. In her sixth lactation this year, the cow is projected to produce 13,934kg of milk containing 3.87% fat and 3.08% protein. That equates to 968kg of milk solids.
Other leading prices at Carnaross included €3,650 for Hallow Ariel Twizzle, a May 2024-born heifer bred by Hallow Holsteins. She had calved three weeks earlier and was producing 29 litres a day. Hallow Lambda Serenity 2004, another March 2024-born animal from the same breeder, sold for €3,600. She calved in September and is projected to produce 8,414kg of milk solids at 3.77% fat and 3.32% protein during her first lactation this year.
Hallow Lambda Grace 1758 made €3,500. The March 2024-born heifer was also bred by Hallow Holsteins, and her dam produced 6,851kg of milk at 4.12% fat and 3.46% protein during her first lactation in 2024.
United Kingdom market
In England, the monthly Borderway dairy sale took place at Borderway Mart in Carlisle. Buyers came from 19 UK counties, while 344 cattle were offered. The catalogue included milking Holstein cows and heifers, in-calf Holsteins, Jersey-cross cows and heifers, Ayrshire cows and bulling heifers.
Two animals reached the top price of £3,800. One was a heifer born in February 2024, sired by Seagull Bay Applejax and calved approximately one month before the sale. The second was born in August 2024, was sired by Aster Dam Butch and had calved in August. Five more animals sold for above £3,700, and six others exceeded £3,600.
Among the individual categories, 101 milking Holstein heifers averaged £3,034 per head. The 40 milking Holstein cows offered averaged £2,610, while in-calf Holstein heifers averaged £2,569. Jersey-cross cows averaged £1,862, and in-calf Jersey animals averaged £2,095.
The mart manager said prices were rising as confidence built in the dairy sector, citing the positive direction of milk prices.
