Camera at the Mart attended the weekly sale of dairy cattle at Ballymena Mart on Friday last.
With autumn calving in full swing, there was a good entry of freshly calved heifers, as well as animals in their second and third lactations.
A strong presence of buying agents around the ring led to some fierce bidding on freshly calved heifers, especially for pedigree-registered animals and heifers with plenty of size and well-developed udders.
Commenting on the sale, mart manager Sam McNabney said that sale numbers have increased in recent weeks.
This heifer, calved three weeks and yielding 32 litres, sold for £1,750.
With a greater selection of quality stock on offer, there has been an upturn in buying demand.
He added that prices being paid reflect the quality of dairy stock being offered for sale, with prices edging upwards over the past fortnight.
Topping the sale was a December 2016-born heifer which sold for £2,480. The animal had calved four weeks ago and yielding 34 litres daily.
This was followed by £2,280 paid for another heifer calved four weeks, while £2,260 was paid for a pedigree heifer calved 38 days and yielding over 30 litres.
This heifer, calved three weeks and yielding 30 litres, sold for £1,550.
An October 2016 heifer yielding 38 litres daily sold for £2,200, followed by a February 2017-born heifer calved 25 days and yielding 34 litres daily, which sold for £2,100.
Two robot-trained heifers were highly sought after and sold to £2,000 and £1,800.
Both animals were spring 2017-born animals, calved close on three weeks and yielding 30 litres daily.
There was a big run of freshly calved heifers selling from £1,600 to £1,900, with a May 2017-born animal making £1,880, while a March 2017-born animal yielding 28 litres sold for £1,850.
Plainer heifers sold from £1,100 to £1,500 for animals calved 12 to 18 days and yielding 24 to 28 litres.
This pedigree Holstein heifer, calved 15 days and yielding 28 litres, sold for £2,000.
In-calf heifers sold to £1,200 for a Holstein animal served to a Limousin bull.
Dairy cows in their second and third lactations sold from £1,000 to £1,100 for animals calved three weeks and yielding 28 to 30 litres daily.
This cow, yielding calved 12 days and yielding 36 litres, sold for £1,320.
A December 2012-born cow calved 12 days and yielding 36 litres daily, sold to £1,320.
There was also a big show of drop calves at Friday’s sale and demand for good-quality lots was firm. Weaned calves were an easy sell, with beef-bred bull calves selling from £360 to £510 at the top end of the market.
This May 2017 heifer, calved three weeks, sold for £1,880.
This May 2017 heifer, calved three weeks, sold for £1,580.
This June 2017 heifer, calved four weeks, sold for £1,360.
This February 2017 heifer, calved 25 days and yielding 34 litres, sold for £2,100.
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Camera at the Mart attended the weekly sale of dairy cattle at Ballymena Mart on Friday last.
With autumn calving in full swing, there was a good entry of freshly calved heifers, as well as animals in their second and third lactations.
A strong presence of buying agents around the ring led to some fierce bidding on freshly calved heifers, especially for pedigree-registered animals and heifers with plenty of size and well-developed udders.
Commenting on the sale, mart manager Sam McNabney said that sale numbers have increased in recent weeks.
This heifer, calved three weeks and yielding 32 litres, sold for £1,750.
With a greater selection of quality stock on offer, there has been an upturn in buying demand.
He added that prices being paid reflect the quality of dairy stock being offered for sale, with prices edging upwards over the past fortnight.
Topping the sale was a December 2016-born heifer which sold for £2,480. The animal had calved four weeks ago and yielding 34 litres daily.
This was followed by £2,280 paid for another heifer calved four weeks, while £2,260 was paid for a pedigree heifer calved 38 days and yielding over 30 litres.
This heifer, calved three weeks and yielding 30 litres, sold for £1,550.
An October 2016 heifer yielding 38 litres daily sold for £2,200, followed by a February 2017-born heifer calved 25 days and yielding 34 litres daily, which sold for £2,100.
Two robot-trained heifers were highly sought after and sold to £2,000 and £1,800.
Both animals were spring 2017-born animals, calved close on three weeks and yielding 30 litres daily.
There was a big run of freshly calved heifers selling from £1,600 to £1,900, with a May 2017-born animal making £1,880, while a March 2017-born animal yielding 28 litres sold for £1,850.
Plainer heifers sold from £1,100 to £1,500 for animals calved 12 to 18 days and yielding 24 to 28 litres.
This pedigree Holstein heifer, calved 15 days and yielding 28 litres, sold for £2,000.
In-calf heifers sold to £1,200 for a Holstein animal served to a Limousin bull.
Dairy cows in their second and third lactations sold from £1,000 to £1,100 for animals calved three weeks and yielding 28 to 30 litres daily.
This cow, yielding calved 12 days and yielding 36 litres, sold for £1,320.
A December 2012-born cow calved 12 days and yielding 36 litres daily, sold to £1,320.
There was also a big show of drop calves at Friday’s sale and demand for good-quality lots was firm. Weaned calves were an easy sell, with beef-bred bull calves selling from £360 to £510 at the top end of the market.
This May 2017 heifer, calved three weeks, sold for £1,880.
This May 2017 heifer, calved three weeks, sold for £1,580.
This June 2017 heifer, calved four weeks, sold for £1,360.
This February 2017 heifer, calved 25 days and yielding 34 litres, sold for £2,100.
Read more
Future of EU beef sector under the spotlight in Brussels
Dairy management: dealing with lameness
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