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In a week where such emphasis was being placed on crossbred cattle at the Teagasc National open day, it was great to see a fully pedigree Holstein herd doing the business on a different setup at the IHFA open day.
While a pedigree Holstein breeding is a specialised system with higher inputs, host farmer Victor Jackson of the Crossnacole herd is reaping the rewards.
The 140-cow herd is driven by production and last year saw 1.4m litres sold to Glanbia. To put this into perspective, the Greenfield crossbred herd last year produced a similar amount, with over 200 cows more.
Listen to “Shane Murphy chats to Victor Jackson” on Spreaker.
The Jackson farm epitomises everything which is great about Holstein breeding and for this reason thousands of people travelled to Kiltegan for the association’s 25th national open day.
As part of the event, Victor Jackson held a sale at the close of proceedings.
This has become a tradition for open-day host farms, offering spectators impressed with the cattle on show the opportunity to take home a bit of their breeding.
Heifers on sale
This sale included more than 50 heifers, many of which come from the renowned female lines which made the herd famous.
Not only were these some of the best females available in the herd, they also stand as some of the best females ever to be offered in Ireland based on both looks and pedigrees.
With such quality forward, it was no surprise the sale was a flyer, with 46 lots selling out of 53 to average just shy of €2,700.
This is an incredible figure when you look at the amount of youngstock in the sale, including 30 maiden heifers from three months of age.
Victor said: “I just knew with the quality of cattle we were putting up that we would’ve done well, but it’s exceeded my wildest dreams.”
Sale topper
Topping the sale with a price tag of €6,700 was Crossnacole Brokaw Fame. This well-grown September 2015-born heifer was sired by Mr Atwood Brokaw and sold carrying a heifer calf by Mr Apples Armani.
Dam of the high seller was Clonpaddin HP Fame, a five-time classified EX92 Shottle daughter who in her peak produced over 11,000kg of milk, of which 4.52% was fat and 3.24% protein.
The Fame family have a long-standing reputation of type cows with Brokaw Fame a potential fifth-generation EX92.
With back and forth bidding and a few tense moments, the hammer finally fell, with successful bidder the Bawnmor herd in Co Cork.
Famous lines
One of the earlier lots into the ring, Crossnacole Brokaw Paradise, got the sale into full swing when she sold for €5,000.
Brokaw Paradise, similar to the high seller, is a Mr Atwood Brokaw, Shottle cross. Dam is EX classified cow Crossnacole Shottle Paradise who is a consistent 9,500kg milk producer.
Born in November 2015, Brokaw Paradise sold in calf to Boldi Admiration, calving in February.
Two heifers hit the €4,000 price tag. First at the money was Crossnacole McCutchen Precious, a potential seventh-generation Ex classified animal.
The 11,500kg-producing Crossnacole Shottle Precious was the dam of this one, with De Su BKM McCutchen the sire.
’Superb show heifer’
Matching her at the money was Crossnacole Uno Amy.
This September 2016-born heifer is described by the host as a “superb show heifer”, and this is no surprise given her granddam is the well-known Miss Rubens Amy, who has sired a string of top show animals throughout Canada and the States.
Sire behind this young heifer was Amighetti Numero Uno Et.
Tops of the baby calves was the only female forward from the Apple family, who at just three months sold for €3,400.
With Doorman as the sire and her granddam being a full sister to the World Dairy Expo reserve champion, hopes will be high for this one.
This young heifer also carried the red gene, adding to her breeding potential.
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