The in-calf heifer trade has undergone somewhat of a renaissance in the last two months across the country, with some super prices and clearance rates being witnessed.

Confidence seems to have been restored in the suckler sector, with suckler farmers willing to go that extra bit to secure top heifers at sales.

It’s getting to be a popular system, with a few different operators around the country purchasing maiden heifers, putting them in calf and selling them 12 to 18 months later.

Some are concentrating on the fatstock market, while others are looking more to the commercial farmer as potential purchasers.

O'Connor sale

Martin O Connor's sale on Friday night was no exception to this year’s trade, with a number of heifers crossing the €5,000 barrier. The sale was conducted by auctioneer Tom Cox and was 100% online via the Martbids app.

Top price of the sale went to lot 21A, a February 2018-born Charolais-cross-Simmental heifer in calf to the Simmental AI bull Popes Grandslam and due on 23 November.

The heifer was originally sourced in Ballymote Mart in October 2019 by Grange livestock exporter Ciaran Burke.

The Burke brothers decided to prepare the heifer for the Winter Fair in Carrick-on-Shannon in November 2019, where she was purchased by Martin O’Connor.

She was 975kg on the scales and was knocked down to John Kingham from Tateetra and Rathmore farms in Co Louth.

This April 2018-born Limousin heifer was sold in-calf to Queenshead Altea due in February 2021 for €6,210.

Kingham went on to purchase 11 heifers at the sale, including a heifer at €7,000 and others at €6,210 and €4,500.

I don’t think there's another heifer in Ireland like her

Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal after the sale, Kingham said: “The €9,000 heifer had it all. I don’t think there's another heifer in Ireland like her. If I’m lucky enough to get a few heifer calves out of her, she won’t be long paying her way.”

Exceptional sale

It was an exceptional sale, with the average price for the 50 heifers sold coming in at €3,017 - up €537 on last year’s sale.

One other west Cavan-based farmer purchased four heifers. Three other purchasers bought four or five heifers each, with most of the rest being purchased as single lots.

Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal, mart manager Gerry Connellan said: “It was a great sale, with online bidding bringing a lot of new customers into the picture.

"The average was up over €500 on last year’s sale, with a good few heifers heading north for export.

"We have a few very busy weeks, with special in-calf heifer sales in November and December.

"I don’t know what’s driving it; I think that farmers got on well with good weanlings and that’s helping the trade for good in-calf heifers."