Buyers turned out in force for the annual show and sale of in-calf heifers from Will and Gareth Corrie, Newtownards, at Ballymena Mart on 19 October.
Prices topped out at £7,000 for a 37-month-old Belgian Blue heifer due to calve down in January 2023, with bidding opening at £5,000 such was the level of buying interest.
Across 119 lots, there was a 100% clearance rate with prices averaging £2,456 and on par with recent years.
All heifers forwarded were scanned in-calf to Limousin bulls, vaccinated against BVD and IBR and buyers included a high level of repeat customers.
Other standout lots saw £5,300 paid for a 37-month-old Belgian Blue heifer, scanned in-calf for January, followed by £3,850 for a 40-month-old Limousin heifer calving down in February.
Nine heifers sold for between £3,000 and £4,000 with 34 heifers commanding prices between £2,500 and £3,000.
A further 57 lots sold between £2,000 and £2,500, with 17 heifers seeing the hammer dropping at prices between £1,750 and £2,000.
Hadden sale
On Thursday 20 October, Markethill Mart held the annual sale of in-calf heifers from Roland Hadden. All animals forwarded were scanned in-calf to Limousin bulls, as well as being vaccinated against BVD and IBR.
Prices peaked at £2,750 for a 24-month-old Charolais cross heifer set to calve in mid-November, followed by £2,700 for a 42-month-old Limousin heifer with a one-month-old Limousin heifer calf at foot.
Across 78 lots forwarded, 63 were sold to an average price of £2,053. Four heifers sold above the £2,500 barrier with 33 lots making £2,000 to £2,500 and 27 animals commanding £1,800 to £2,000.
Jalex sales
On Saturday 22 October, the Jalex herd of Nelson and James Alexander held an on-farm sale of 154 breeding females.
Prices hit a high point of £10,000 for a February 2020-born Belgian Blue cross heifer due in January 2023 with a heifer calf by the Limousin sire, The Grove Farm P381.
This was followed by £9,000 paid for a Limousin heifer, born July 2020 and calving in May 2023 with a heifer calf by Brookland Poet.
Exported
Across the sale, 154 lots averaged £2,975 with 50 animals being exported to Britain. A January 2021-born hybrid bull with 75% Blue genetics and 25% Limousin breeding sold for £4,400.