Buyers from 15 counties at Ballymote Sale

The 23rd Simmental-cross breeding heifer sale took place at Ballymote Mart on Saturday 7 October and, once again, quality heifers on offer were met with a flying trade, with the maiden heifers being exceptionally strong.

Topping the sale at €3,000 was Declan Oates, Tawley, Castlegal, Co Leitrim. His 520kg yearling heifer was just over 12 months old and was sired by Kilbride Farm Comber. The average price in this section was €2.95/kg.

In the in-calf section, 57 out of the 58 heifers offered for sale sold to an average price of €1,995.

Top price here went to Michael Glennon, Ballydangan, Athlone, Co Westmeath, when he got €2,550 for a January 2015-born heifer on the point of calving to the AI Simmental bull Curaheen Earp.

The maiden section produced a high of €2,250 twice in what was one of the strongest trades for maidens seen at this sale.

First up at €2,250 was a 600kg April 2016-born heifer sold by Padraic Burns, Keash, Ballymote. Also in the €2,250 bracket was Catherine Conneely, Ballinakill, Glinsk, Co Galway, selling a 625kg 24-month-old heifer.

The last section of the day was the weanlings and a smaller entry here than usual resulted in keen demand for the quality lots on offer.

Topping the trade was Tommy Murphy, Castletown, Cross, Claremorris, Co Mayo, selling a February 2017-born calf weighing 290kg at €1,070 (€369 / kg).

Heifers were purchased by customers from 15 counties from Kerry to Down, highlighting the appeal of this annual sale and the Simmental breed as suckler cows.

Belgian Blue society to host evening premier sale

The Belgian Blue Cattle Society will host its annual autumn sale in Tullamore Mart on the evening of Friday 27 October.

The society is reporting good demand for breeding bulls at this time and suggests that it is very advisable to have your stock bull in place well ahead of the breeding season.

Catalogue

A total of 16 bulls are catalogued for the sale, with a further 17 breeding heifers.

These animals are from very popular bloodlines and include prizewinners from throughout the summer show season.

The sale will commence at 6.30pm under the watchful eye of auctioneer Tom Cox from Strokestown. Vendors are advised to have their animals on site by 3.30pm to allow sufficient time for inspections and showing prior to the sale.