Ballinasloe Mart’s general cattle sale on Saturday included an entry of over 20 in-calf heifers marketed as being capable of breeding show-quality type calves.

The heifers on offer were mainly a mixture of Limousin-cross and Belgian Blue-cross, many of which were U-grading types.

A high percentage of heifers sold from €3,700 to €5,000, with a couple exceeding this range to a top of €6,400 and a couple falling back to €3,500.

Eleven of the heifers were offered by Rathvarna farm, with the majority of these heifers calving in early November and December to the AI Limouisn sire Powerful Proper (LM7416) and the farm’s five-star Limousin stock bull Philips Topgun.

Heifers vaccinated

All heifers were vaccinated for bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD), leptospirosis and bluetongue virus.

The second batch of heifers were also vaccinated for the bluetongue virus and IBR.

These heifers were a mixture of Limousin-cross, Charolais-cross and Belgian Blue-cross.

General sale

There was a significant entry of cows with calves at foot and in-calf heifers outside of the above entries.

Prices were heavily dependent on quality with some aged cows and strong calves on the point of weaning, selling from €2,400 for a couple of lots, with cows bred from the dairy herd to €3,400 to €3,750 for continental cows and strong calves.

Watch

The sale topper was this Limousin-cross heifer born on 08/05/2023 and due to calve on 8 November to the Limousin sire Powerful Proper (LM7416) and sold for €6,400.

This Belgian Blue-cross heifer born 07/04/2024 and due to calf on 8 November to the Limousin sire Powerful Proper (LM7416), sold for €3,950.

This Limousin-cross heifer born 11/01/2024 and due to calve around 8 November to the Limousin sire Powerful Proper (LM7416), sold for €3,700.

This well-muscled Belgian Blue-cross heifer born 17/08/2023 and due to calve around 8 November to the Limousin sire Powerful Proper (LM7416), sold for €4,900.

This Blonde d’Aquitaine-cross heifer born 10/12/2023 and due to calve around 8 November to the Limousin sire Powerful Proper (LM7416), sold for €3,900.

This in-calf heifer sired by Brooklands Marco and due to calve around 8 November to the Limousin sire Powerful Proper (LM7416), sold for €5,300.

This strong Limousin-cross heifer born on 28/03/2024, sired by Cregpark Christian and due to the Limouisn sire Loyal on 13 November, sold for €5,500.

This Belgian Blue-cross heifer sired by BB8944, born 30/04/2024 and due to calve to the Limousin sire Loyal on 20 January 2027, sold for €4,050.

This large-framed and heavy Charolais-cross heifer born 28/05/24 and due on 19 November to the Limousin sire Loyal, sold for €5,000.

This Belgian Blue-cross second calving cow born 05/12/21 was offered with her Limousin AI-sired bull calf out of Willodge at foot and born 30/03/2026. The cow was served to the same bull on 18 June and sold for €5,050.

Cows with calves

This 2017 born Blonde d’Aquitaine-cross cow (running with same bull, no guarantee) and her seven month old Charolais-cross bull calf, sold for €2,420.

This young Charolais cow born 28/04/23, not served again and her Charolais bull calf born 16/05/2026, sold for €3,540.

This Limousin-cross cow born 10/01/2022 was sold with her Limousin-cross bull calf born 17/05/2026. She was served to the same sire three months ago but no guarantee in-calf and sold for €3,950.