Crowds of farmers gathered at GVM Carrigallen Mart in Co. Leitrim for the annual heifer sale of well-known Bailieborough, Co. Cavan-based commercial cattle breeder Jim Heery.

There was an exceptional demand for the top-class weanling heifers on offer at the special sale and speaking to Agriland after the event, mart manager Helen Kells said there was a full clearance of the 60 homebred weanling heifers on offer.

The Carrigallen Mart manager commended the quality of stock on offer saying they were an "exceptional group of well-bred heifers".

Buyers from across both Ireland and Northern Ireland secured heifers at the event and it was Lot 47, a 505kg heifer, that secured the top price of €5,550, or €10.99/kg.

The top-priced heifer on the day was sired by K Genetics-owned purebred red Belgian Blue bull Leonardus Van De Uilenvlucht (S3671). The February 2022-born five-star heifer's dam was a Belgian Blue-cross Simmental cow by DBZ and Seepa Tee Jay.

The second-highest price and top-price per kilo was lot 44, a stylish red roan-type Belgian Blue heifer.

This four-star February 2022-born heifer weighed 440kg and sold for €5,000 or €11.36/kg.

The red heifer was sired by a son of Accord De Wihogne (S527) and her dam was a Belgian Blue-cross Limousin cow.

The average sale price at the Cavan-based commercial cattle breeder's third annual sale at Carrigallen Mart was €2,415.50.

As well as the special sale, Carrigallen Mart also hosted its normal sale of weanling bulls and heifers which featured around 200 heifers (including the special sale) and 150 bulls.

In the calf sale there was almost 300 head on offer between calves and runners. There was a high clearance across all categories.

The top price in the calf sale went to a March-born Belgian Blue heifer calf that sold for €630.

The mart manager explained that numbers are still good in the calf sale but said they will likely drop off over the coming weeks.