Top price of €2,900 for top Dunard Holstein

The herd, owned by David Woulfe, Ardagh, Co Limerick, had a 2023 herd average 6,919kg at 3.74% fat and 3.47% protein with 500kg combined fat and protein.

The Dunard herd dispersal sale took place at Kilmallock Mart on Monday.

The herd, owned by David Woulfe, Ardagh, Co Limerick, had a 2023 herd average 6,919kg at 3.74% fat and 3.47% protein with 500kg combined fat and protein.

All animals were scanned in-calf. The herd will be calving mainly from early February to March.

In calf to either a Friesian AI or easy-calving Aberdeen Angus stockbull, with David using an Aubrac bull as a sweeper.

David Woulfe, who is retiring from farming, had on offer 130 Pedigree/PBNR Holstein Friesian milkers and calf heifers.

Denis Barrett of Denis Barrett Auctions oversaw the sale with a top price of €2,900 paid on Monday for a February 2020 born in-calf cow.

On Monday at Kilmallock, the herd averaged €1,823 per head, with a 100% clearance recorded across the 130 animals.

Denis Barrett reported "a strong trade," adding, "It was great to see plenty of buyers around the ring, with 29 animals, heading to Northern Ireland through Kilmallock’s new export centre."

A total number of 32 buyers purchased stock at the sale.

Breaking down the averages, in calf heifers sold for €1,470 a head.

Second-calvers averaged €1,845 a head. Third and Fourth calvers averaged €2,000 a head. While fifth to13th calvers averaged €1,724 a head.

Denis also said: "The herd was a credit to David Wolfe and we’d like to thank him for entrusting us with his dispersal and to GVM Kilmallock for facilitating the sale."

The Midland and Western Livestock Improvement Society will be holding its first show and sale of the year at Carrick-on-Shannon Mart on Saturday, February 8.

This will be an all-breed show and sale for bulls born between January 1, 2023, up to February 28, 2024.

The show and sale will be open to heifers of all ages.