A black British Blue cross heifer by the Empire D’ochain son, Sheehills Fearless, sold for a phenomenal £10,000 at James Alexander’s on-farm commercial sale of breeding heifers from the Jalex herd.

Such was the demand for top breeding females from this Northern Ireland-based enterprise based outside Randalstown, that a further three lots sold for £5000 or more, with the overall average working out at £2504.50 for 199 heifers.

Some 25% of the entries sold to the UK mainland with 43% bought online. Three of the top four highest priced lots were knocked down to Sean O'Kane buying on behalf of a Scottish client.

This included the sale leader, a July 2019-born heifer out of a Limousin cross cow by Wilodge Topgun. She sold due in October, to the F94L Limousin, Brookland Poet, a Plumtree Fantastic-sired bull.

The same buyer also went to £6500 for a two-year-old Limousin cross British Blue heifer by Elite Jordan, out of a Boherard Hurricane daughter. She sold due in October to the F94L double mystatin carrier, Elderberry Galahad.

Also selling to Scotland at £5000 was a three-year-old British Blue cross by Leonard Van Terbeck out of a Limousin cross dam. She also changed hands due in July to the Limousin sire, Whinfellpark Pablo.

Second top price was £6700 paid for another July 2019-born three-quarter Limousin cross heifer by Ampertaine Commander, bred from a British Blue cross Limousin dam. She changed hands due in the middle of the month and carrying a Limousin heifer by The Grove farm P381, an Ewdenvale Ivor son.

The buyer was Ivan Llynn, Armoy, Antrim who also went to £4100 for a Charolais heifer by Fury Action, in calf to a Limousin sire.

Simmental heifers sold to £3000 for a pure unregistered entry, due with a heifer calf to the largest volume buyer, Jim Heery, Co Caven.

Heifer and calf units sold to £3300 twice for British Blues with Limousin calves at foot. They sold to J Crowther, West Yorkshire and L Hopwood, Rochdale.

LEADING prices

In-calf heifers – BB – £10,000, £5000, £3950, £3300, £3000 (x3), £2800 (x2). Lim – £6700, £6500, £4700, £3800, £3700, £3400 (x2), £3300, £3100 (x2). Char – £4100, £3900, £3300, £2500, £2400, £2300, £2200 (x3). Sim – £3000, £2700, £2650, £2600, £2550 (x2), £2450, £2050, £1900. BS – £2700, £2200.

Heifers with calves – BB – £3300 (x2). Lim – £2900. In-calf cows – Lim – £2400.

Breeding bulls – BB – £4000, £3000.