Confidence remains high in the breeding game, with special breeding sales of heifers going very well across the country since the beginning of the new year.

Elphin Mart was no exception last week, where over 300 high-end breeding heifers went under the hammer.

The in-calf heifer producers drove the trade, with a few exceptional prices being paid for the best heifers in the sale.

A top call of €7,700 was paid for a May 2022-born Belgian Blue heifer weighing 650kg, followed closely behind by a May 2022-born Charolais heifer weighing 690kg selling for €7,600. Both were snapped up by in-calf heifer producers.

Commenting on the trade, mart manager Ciaran Lynch said: “We had buyers from all over for the breeding sale, with massive appetite for replacement heifers with both farmers and in-calf heifer operators.

“We had a steady flow of heifers bought for export to Northern Ireland as well, which helped the trade.

“It’s not every day you get 300 heifers of this quality in the same yard, so I’d say that’s what drew the customers.”

A total of 40 heifers made their way north from the sale.

The sale average came in at €3.78/kg, which was one of the best averages that the mart has achieved in recent times.

The mart has Fred Dolan’s 24th annual sale of in-calf heifers on Monday 19 February.

In pictures

This 2022-born Belgian Blue heifer weighed 585kg and sold for €3,700 (€6.32/kg).

This 2022-born Belgian Blue heifer weighed 665kg and sold for €4,500 (€6.76/kg).

This 2022-born Charolais heifer weighed 685kg and sold for €3,300 (€4.82/kg).

This May 2022-born Belgian Blue heifer weighed 650kg and sold for €7,700 (€11.85/kg).

This May 2022-born Charolais heifer weighed 690kg and sold for €7,600 (€11.01/kg).