The trade for in-calf heifers has slowed this year, with the price of plainer stock back to between €150/hd and €200/hd.

But prices for high-EBI heifers that are older and heavier have generally held close to last year’s levels.

Heifers bought directly off-farm are generally making from €1,200/hd to €1,300/hd at the moment.

This is back €150/hd to €200/hd on last year. Farmers blamed tight fodder supplies and the Nitrates Directive for deflating demand.

However, Noel Gowen of the Grasstec Group said that a serious differential had emerged in the dairy heifer trade this year, with a significant price gap emerging between low-EBI and high-EBI stock.

Gowen maintained that the drought earlier in the year had affected the trade but that the recent recovery in grass supplies brought more buyers back into the market. He said top-end heifers were still making €1,400/hd to €1,600/hd.

“The top end are still holding reasonably well, but buyers are more discerning.

“They are looking for strong genetics, with good sub-indices for milk and solids,” he explained.

Seán Dennehy of Bandon Mart said good-quality heifers are still making €1,500/hd to €1,550/hd.

But heifers had to weigh 470kg or more and have an EBI in excess of €200 to secure the better prices.