A 445kg Belgian Blue weanling heifer has sold for a record-breaking €21,500 at the Carrick Winter Fair.
The Midland and Western Livestock Improvement Society’s show and sale of commercial weanlings event, which is better known as ‘The Carrick Winter Fair’, kicked off yesterday, Sunday, November 26, at the Showgrounds, Carrick on Shannon, Co. Roscommon, with the show of commercial weanlings and the sale got underway today, Monday, at 11:00am.
It was after 9:30p.m when lot 499, a heifer belonging to John Kennedy from Ardara, Co. Donegal, entered the ring in Carrick On Shannon to a packed ringside audience.
This heifer had won first in her class: ‘Belgian Blue X female calf 450kg or under’ in the show on Sunday.
After an intense round of bidding with one bid jumping €2,000, there was a huge cheer when the heifer crossed €20,000. Three more bids of €500 each and the March 2023-born heifer settled at her selling price of €21,500 and auctioneer Eamonn Gaffney dropped his hammer to a huge round of applause from the audience.
The Belgian Blue heifer was sired by Belgian Blue bull AZL.
This heifer wasn’t the only one to take an impressive price before the sale rolled into its 11th hour.
Another Donegal-bred heifer belonging to Denis McBride from Creeslough, Co. Donegal, sold for €18,400.
This July 2023-born Limousin weanling heifer was sired by Ballinloan Jagerbomb and entered the ring weighing 260kg. She sold for €18,400 or just over €70/kg.
Selling for €10,800 was lot 450, a 350kg Elgin-sired Limousin heifer belonging to Sean Hughes from Carrickmacross, Co. Monaghan.
Lot 410 was a Limousin heifer belonging to the Ramsbottom family from Co. Laois,. This one sold for €10,100.
There are over 400 head of cattle entered in the sale which is expected to continue into the early hours of Tuesday morning.
Stay tuned to Agriland for further updates from the sale.