A Limousin-cross heifer and a Belgian Blue-cross heifer made €5,600 and €5,500 respectively at a special breeding heifer sale which took place at Balla Mart Co. Mayo on Saturday, October 12.

The top-priced heifer was owned by a farmer from Ballaghaderreen, Co. Roscommon who presented "some smashing heifers" in the sale, according to a sale report from the mart.

One of these heifers was a 610kg Belgian Blue-cross that made a staggering €5,600 or €9.18/kg. This heifer was purchased by a customer from Northern Ireland for breeding.

Another farmer had a 725kg Belgian Blue cross heifer that sold for €5,500 or €7.59/kg.

There were over 500 heifers on offer in the sale with 20 lots making over the 5.00/kg mark.

The average price in the 500kg and over weight bracket was €3.50/kg which is a new record for the Mayo-based mart.

Lighter store heifers weighing from 300-400kg averaged €3.04/kg and heifers ranging from 400-500kg averaged €3.10/kg.

In the springers, there was a special sale of in-calf heifers on behalf of a Milltown farmer with a March 2022 born heifer due to calve this December making €4.60/kg.

There were over 120 cows on offer in the dry cow sale with cows weighing over 500kg averaging €2.43/kg this week. A strong March 2017-born Limousin dry cow weighing 900kg made €2,620 for a farmer from Swinford. This cow was purchased by a customer from Northern Ireland.

In the steer sale, bullocks weighing from 300-400kg averaged €3.05/kg. Store bullocks weighing from 400-500kg averaged €3.07/kg while heavier bullocks weighing over 500kg averaged €2.96/kg.

A 385kg Charolais bullock born in May 2023 made €1,440 or €3.74/kg for a farmer from Castlebar and another 490kg Charolais bullock made €1,700 or €3.47/kg for a farmer from Charlestown, Co. Mayo.

One of the top prices in the bullock sale went to an 850kg Charolais bullock that made €2,560 and was again purchased by a customer from Northern Ireland.

Balla Mart will host a special sale of eight in-calf heifers on Saturday, October 19. The heifers on offer in the sale are all red limousines and are scanned in calf to artificial Insemination (AI) bulls Marco and Sterling.