Camera at the Mart: high demand for in-calf heifers in Dowra

Dowra Mart held its second special in-calf heifer sale in two weeks on Wednesday 5 November, featuring a special consignment of 53 heifers from the Co Cavan-based specialist in-calf heifer producers, the Crawford brothers.

A packed ringside and strong online activity saw the 53 heifers sell from €3,000 to highs of €6,300 setting an average price just shy of €4,500.

The sale saw eight heifers sell above €5,000. The quiet, well-handled and naturally done heifers were predominantly Limousin-crosses, with a number of Simmental- and Charolais-crosses also on offer.

Topping the annual Crawford brothers’ sale and setting a new Dowra Mart record price for a springing heifer was the first heifer into the ring, which sold for €6,300.

This exceptional February 2023-born Limousin-cross heifer is due to calve in late December to the five-star Limousin stock bull.

This particular bull is sired by Tomschoice Lexicon and out of a USSE dam, boasting an impressive €190 replacement index.

Striking

Closely following was another Limousin-cross heifer, with her time up on 12 January 2026 to the AI Limousin bull Powerful Proper, which sold for €6,200.

The next-top price was €5,750 for a striking August 2021 Limousin heifer with a roan flick and white belly, due in the first week of January 2026 to a Sympa-bred Limousin stock bull.

The highlight of the night was a September 2022-born Limousin-cross heifer carrying twins to the five-star Limousin bull, due in December, which sold for €5,700.

With attention already turning to next year’s annual in-calf heifer sale, we caught up with John Crawford later in the week to hear his thoughts.

“We were very happy with the performance of the Limousin heifers, but there isn’t as big of a demand for the Charolais springing heifer,” he said.

“The three top-priced heifers on the night were purchased by repeat customers.

“We use two really good five-star stock bulls and customers have been very happy with the calves they’re producing.

“In the future, we will try to AI the heifers, but this is difficult with us working full-time,” John added.

A number of other heifers from local breeders were also on offer on the night, with one notable lot a super milky Simmental-cross cow with her AI-bred heifer calf at foot which sold for €6,250.

A Limousin-cross heifer due to calve in December to a Limousin stock bull sold for €4,650 while her comrade due at the end of December to the AI Limousin bull Powerful Proper sold for €4,500.