Friday, March 29, 2024
5.5 C
Galway
HomeBeefPrices to €5,250 at Brennan’s sale in lightning trade at Balla
Catherina Cunnane
Catherina Cunnanehttps://www.thatsfarming.com/
Catherina Cunnane hails from a sixth-generation drystock and specialised pedigree suckler enterprise in Co. Mayo. She currently holds the positions of editor and general manager at That's Farming, having joined the firm during its start-up phase in 2015.
Reading Time: 3 minutes

Prices to €5,250 at Brennan’s sale in lightning trade at Balla

Prices soared to €5,250 at Walter Brennan’s 15th annual in-calf sale in a packed-to-the-rafters Balla Mart, County Mart on Friday evening (November 18th, 2022).

A lively trade prevailed through the sale, which saw prices range from €2,350 upwards, with a full clearance recorded.

The mart’s resident livestock auctioneer, Raymond Clarke, was on the rostrum for the sale of in-calf suckler-bred continental heifers, which garnered strong ringside and online activity from all corners of the country.

Leading the charge at €5,250 was a 31-month-old 675kg Belgian-Blue-cross-Limousin that was served on June 14th, 2022, to LM2014 (Ivor).

The purchaser of the sale-topping heifer received a €200 luck’s penny, which Boyne Valley Meats sponsored.

The sale included 43 in-calf commercial suckler-bred females: Limousin-crosses (black and red types), Belgian Blue-crosses, Simmental-crosses, and roan-type.

Heifers are in-calve to Limousin bulls, including EBY, Lodge Hamlet, Loyal, Ivor and the farm’s proven five-star Ivor son.

One cow-heifer and calf pair – a Limousin-cross dam born with an EBY bull calf at foot, changed hands for €4,600 (combined weight of 725kgs).

Brennan’s sale

Ahead of the sale, Catherina Cunnane, editor of That’s Farming, spoke to Brennan, a Mayo Abbey, Claremorris, Co Mayo farmer:

He told her:

“We have a wide range of four and five-star females, which have been served from late February onwards. They will be calving from an average range of circa 24-38 months.”

“Moreover, there has been northern interest in recent years. Our customers purchase the heifers to breed superior weanlings – which are of export and/or show potential standard – that go on to attain premium prices.”

“When selecting heifers for the sale, I focus on feminine traits; so they must look like a cow.”

“I would not touch a heifer that would be anyways masculine or rough. I favour a cow maker that is fit for purpose with maternal traits, a docile nature, width and not overly muscled, but is well-conformed, being an R+ or U grade type.”

“In that case, you can let the bull do the rest to produce E grade progeny if you so wish. Also, the number one factor for me is that they calf easily for the buyer and that they rear their calf to a satisfactory standard,” he concluded.

Pictures and prices:

[Click on the icons for larger images and all details of lots]

 

 

All images: Chloe Goggins Photography

To feature your sale on That’s Farming, email – [email protected]

- Advertisment -

Most Popular