The trade was best described at very up and down for 130 Holstein heifers on offer. Despite some very high prices, a good number of heifers went home unsold.

A strong contingent from both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland descended on northern England for the sale. And, while the trade was very mixed, there was some success for the travelling Irish. Two of the successful sellers were Donal Neville from Limerick and Roy Cromie from Donegal.

Donal and family from Co Limerick, trading under the Emerald Holsteins banner, sold their March 2015 born in-calf heifer Emerald Doorman Twizzle (pictured above), sired by Val-Bisson Doorman, for £6,930 (€8,270). The strong, well-proportioned in-calf heifer is out of Hallow Attwood Twizzle, who is milking in Limerick and was crowned champion confined cow at Millstreet in 2015.

Donegal heifers

Roy Cromie from Castelfin, Co Donegal, sold two heifers for a decent return. Lot 27, September-born Dalevalley Dorman Tracey ET, sold for £4,200 (€5,000). Lot 83, his February 2016-born Doorman heifer Dalevalley Dorman Embrace 2 ET, who came third in the intermediate calf category in the Irish National Calf Show 2016, sold under the hammer for £5,775 (€6,900).

Elite Street Genetics (Rob Hancock) consigned lot 81 Absolute Doorman Tangfastic ET for £15,750 (€18,800). The March 2016-born heifer is out of a Kingsway Sanchez cow that classified EX 95 and has eight generations of VG and EX in her pedigree.

The other top price of the day was £18,900 (€22,500) for the choice of one of two June 2016-born Kalibra heifers from Panda Holsteins. They were promoted as the only progeny from Okalibra in the UK. Yates and Partners from the UK bought the heifer. Watch the hammer fall on the top price in our video below:

For a full report, see the pedigree pages in the next issue of the Irish Farmers Journal.