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Over the last few weeks it is notable the number of farmers who are now offering in-calf suckler heifers at specialist sales.
Given the high prices being paid, there is obviously still a lot of interest in the sector, and a gap in the market for replacement animals.
Yet in many ways, this market for replacement heifers does not make any sense, and often it seems the older and heavier the heifer, the higher the price being paid.
Some of the top priced animals are already over three years old, and upwards of 1t in weight. And if the heifer is red, with some speckles of white, that adds a few hundred more to the value.
However, it is also important to put this all into perspective. There are approximately 250,000 suckler cows in NI, and assuming a 15% replacement rate, that means nearly 40,000 in-calf heifers are required each year. So the sales of the last few weeks represent only a fraction of the total.
And of course, everyone has a right to spend their money as they wish, and plenty of people enjoy keeping a few high-end suckler cows.
But the economic reality of beef production is something different. Since 2011 the Irish Farmers Journal, along with CAFRE and ABP Food Group, have run a programme across NI farms which aims to maximise gross margins in suckler production (see page 44).
Over the years it has consistently shown that to make any profit at sucklers you need to calve heifers at two years, follow an animal health plan, rotationally graze livestock, make good-quality silage and constantly remove any passengers from the herd.
Combined, these factors have allowed the farms to maximise stocking rate per hectare, and get cattle killed at under two years, and within processor weight requirements.
Most farmers in the programme now breed their own heifers, mainly using AI sires. The programme will end in early 2021, but hopefully the pathway the industry should follow is clear.
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