The annual sale of stock from the renowned Lisduff Holstein herd near Whitechurch on the edge of Cork city took place on Saturday.
Stock offered for sale at the 36th sale were a mix from traditional foundation family lines in the Lisduff herd and also imported genetics from Germany, Canada and the US.
One farmer told me cows from the Mary family achieved particularly strong prices on the day.
Top price achieved was €2,900 for two lots – Lot 1 and Lot 40. Many other descendants from the Mary family sold for over €2,000.
The freshly calved heifers all had heifer calves and the in-calf heifers were all in calf to sexed semen.
We understand the average price for the calved heifers sold was about €1,850, with their heifer calves selling for about €780 each. In-calf heifers sold on average for close to €1,900.
Top-priced lots
Lot 1 was Lisduff Neottie 94 (EBI €128) born 11 February 2017 by Goldenfield Raphael out of a cow still milking in the Lisduff herd, Lisduff Neottie 63, and predicted to do 9,500kg in her fourth lactation (305 DIM) at 3.98% fat and 3.65% protein. She sold for €2,900. Lot 1a, her heifer calf, sold for €1,100.
Lot 40 was Lisduff Mary (EBI €107), AI-ed 16 May to sexed semen. This heifer was born in September 2017 by Jetstream out of Lisduff Mary 101 and sold for €2,900.
Sale history
Every year, dairy farmer and former ICBF chair John O’Sullivan and his team, including Victor, John (Jnr) and David McGrath, turn out over 80 lots of well-prepared Holstein cattle.
This year, there were 35 freshly calved heifers, 30 heifer calves and 45 in-calf heifers (all in-calf to sexed semen).
The O’Sullivans have a long track record with the Holstein breed and would be well known to many breeders and livestock farmers.
John O'Sullivan in the pen on the right with the cow and auctioneer Denis Barrett taking the bids.
Local men Denis Barrett and Colin Johnson were the auctioneers charged with selling and the sale kicked off shortly after midday.
Milking heifers were met with what was described as a good trade. There was a very high clearance, with only about seven or eight heifers left unsold.
Trade temperature
This annual sale is normally the first pedigree female sale of the year and potential sellers come to test the temperature of the trade, particularly for freshly calved autumn heifers.
There were buyers from all over the Republic, with little or no buyers from NI or England.
Mohoncross youngstock dispersal
Last week, in the Mohoncross youngstock dispersal sale, the average for the in-calf heifers was €2,046 and 22 heifers made over €2,000 each.
According to the IHFA, the top price was €5,200 for a potential sixth generation excellent springing heifer Mohoncross Pet 41A. The average price for spring calves was €1,134.
Full reports in the Irish Farmers Journal every Thursday.
Read more
Busy few weeks in the pedigree world
The annual sale of stock from the renowned Lisduff Holstein herd near Whitechurch on the edge of Cork city took place on Saturday.
Stock offered for sale at the 36th sale were a mix from traditional foundation family lines in the Lisduff herd and also imported genetics from Germany, Canada and the US.
One farmer told me cows from the Mary family achieved particularly strong prices on the day.
Top price achieved was €2,900 for two lots – Lot 1 and Lot 40. Many other descendants from the Mary family sold for over €2,000.
The freshly calved heifers all had heifer calves and the in-calf heifers were all in calf to sexed semen.
We understand the average price for the calved heifers sold was about €1,850, with their heifer calves selling for about €780 each. In-calf heifers sold on average for close to €1,900.
Top-priced lots
Lot 1 was Lisduff Neottie 94 (EBI €128) born 11 February 2017 by Goldenfield Raphael out of a cow still milking in the Lisduff herd, Lisduff Neottie 63, and predicted to do 9,500kg in her fourth lactation (305 DIM) at 3.98% fat and 3.65% protein. She sold for €2,900. Lot 1a, her heifer calf, sold for €1,100.
Lot 40 was Lisduff Mary (EBI €107), AI-ed 16 May to sexed semen. This heifer was born in September 2017 by Jetstream out of Lisduff Mary 101 and sold for €2,900.
Sale history
Every year, dairy farmer and former ICBF chair John O’Sullivan and his team, including Victor, John (Jnr) and David McGrath, turn out over 80 lots of well-prepared Holstein cattle.
This year, there were 35 freshly calved heifers, 30 heifer calves and 45 in-calf heifers (all in-calf to sexed semen).
The O’Sullivans have a long track record with the Holstein breed and would be well known to many breeders and livestock farmers.
John O'Sullivan in the pen on the right with the cow and auctioneer Denis Barrett taking the bids.
Local men Denis Barrett and Colin Johnson were the auctioneers charged with selling and the sale kicked off shortly after midday.
Milking heifers were met with what was described as a good trade. There was a very high clearance, with only about seven or eight heifers left unsold.
Trade temperature
This annual sale is normally the first pedigree female sale of the year and potential sellers come to test the temperature of the trade, particularly for freshly calved autumn heifers.
There were buyers from all over the Republic, with little or no buyers from NI or England.
Mohoncross youngstock dispersal
Last week, in the Mohoncross youngstock dispersal sale, the average for the in-calf heifers was €2,046 and 22 heifers made over €2,000 each.
According to the IHFA, the top price was €5,200 for a potential sixth generation excellent springing heifer Mohoncross Pet 41A. The average price for spring calves was €1,134.
Full reports in the Irish Farmers Journal every Thursday.
Read more
Busy few weeks in the pedigree world
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