Carrigallen Mart hosted a special sale of 77 weanling heifers for Bailieborough farmer Jim Heery last Saturday alongside its weekly sale of weanling bulls and heifers.

Jim specialises in high-end Limousin and Belgian Blue fatstock cattle and has built up a big following to buy heifers at his annual sale held every April in Carrigallen Mart.

Many of the heifers in the sale were sired by hybrid Limousin and Belgian Blue stock bulls, with Jim crossing these with Limousin and Belgian Blue cows.

The breed mix is working, with Saturday’s consignment of heifers averaging €2,790/head, up €410/head on the 2024 average price of €2,380/head.

Top call

Top call went to an April 2024-born Belgian Blue heifer weighing 480kg and selling for €7,500 (see video above). Trade was brisk throughout the sale, with southern buyers dominating and just two heifers exported to Co Tyrone.

Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal, Carrigallen Mart manager Helen Kells said: “We had heifers travel as far away as Wexford on Saturday evening, with a huge amount of heifers bought by online customers. Breeding stock are in real demand at the moment, with quality heifers selling very well.

"Bull weanlings also met good demand, with exporters and farmer buyers driving the trade. Top-quality bull weanlings in the 300kg to 400kg weight bracket crossed the €5/kg mark on several occasions.”

Other prices

This January 2024 born Belgian Blue heifer weighed 500kg and sold for €5000 (€10/kg).

This April 2024 born Limousin weanling heifer weighed 500kg and sold for €4200 (48.40/kg).

This March 2024 born Limousin weanling heifer weighed 450kg and sold for €4000 (€8.89/kg).

This March 2024 born Belgian Blue heifer weighed 500kg and sold for €4000 (€8/kg).

This January 2024 born Belgian Blue heifer weighed 500kg and sold for €4000 (€8/kg).

This April 2024 born Belgian Blue heifer weighed 440kg and sold for €3900 (€8.86/kg).