There was strong demand for second- and third-calving cows and a top price paid of £2,015 at a clearance sale for Maguiresbridge farmer Stephen Maguire held last Thursday night in Clogher Mart.
A packed sale ring saw a total of 57 lots forwarded for sale, of which 48 were cows ranging from first-calvers, right up to a 13-year-old cow that produced 11 calves during her lifetime. The remaining nine animals were in-calf heifers.
All lots forwarded for sale were scanned in-calf, with due dates ranging 19 February to 30 April.
Cows were settled in-calf to the herd’s stock bulls, a Limousin bred from Tanat Mostyn and a Simmental bred from Kilbride Farm, Newry.
Across all animals, prices averaged £1,303. Cows averaged £1,315 with in-calf heifers at £1,233.
The highest prices were paid for third-calvers, which were all home-bred and a mix of Limousin, Simmental and Salers breeding.
These eight cows averaged £1,519 and included the highest-priced animal, born January 2015 and due on 26 March to the Simmental stock bull. After determined bidding from two farmers, the animal sold for £2,015.
This was quickly followed by £1,970 paid for another third-calved cow, also born in January 2015 and due in late March to the Limousin stock bull.
An entry of 12 first-calvers sold to an average of £1,392 and ranged from £1,550 back to £1,150.
Older cows were generally making little more than cull price and ranged from £900 to £1,130.
Heifers
Topping the trade for in-calf heifers was a superb Simmental heifer born in January 2018. This animal was in-calf to the Salers bull Whitebog Convenor, and sold for £1,500.
Two other stand out Limousin heifers, both in-calf to the same Salers sire, sold for £1,420 and £1,370 respectively.
