Ballybay mart in Co Monaghan is to host the first fully-genotyped heifer sale in the country on 29 April.

The maiden heifer suckler sale has been focused on selling quality heifers fully certified not-in-calf and suitable for breeding.

This year, all 57 heifers in the sale have been genotyped as four- and five-star heifers and are being sold by four Monaghan-based beef discussion groups.

Mairead Kirk, Teagasc’s group co-coordinator, told the Irish Farmers Journal: “The group made a decision six years ago to go down this route of targeting the breeding heifer market. The group really got behind it and many started using maternal genetics in a bid to have heifers suitable for the sale.”

“We have built up a customer base and a number of farmers are now coming back every year to purchase heifers,” she added. “They see it as a good option, and it means they don’t have to complicate things with maternal and terminal genetics.

“Many farmers don’t want the hassle of breeding their own replacements, and this sale gives them the option to keep their system simple and run fewer groups on the farm.”