Leading livestock auctioneers Harrison & Hetherington are to host a series of six sales online and on-farm this year on behalf of one of Northern Ireland's leading producers, Jalex Livestock.

The series begins on Saturday, April 29 with the Jalex Select 1 sale of 190 in-calf continental cross heifers, making this the largest single vendor in-calf heifer sale in the UK.

The sale also includes one Limousin Bull, three frozen embryos and five calved heifers. All heifers are hand-picked and selected for their size and shape; all are BVD tested and vaccinated, and TB tested every four months, and all are in-calf via a mixture of AI and natural service by selected bulls including Uptonley Living the Dream, Ampertaine Lance, Elderberry Galahad and Carmorn Cantona. Also included is the sale, is the 2021 Welsh Winter Fair reserve overall champion, Tidy Dancer".

Calving dates for all heifers will be available on the catalogue, but the Jalex Select 1 sale is specifically timed for those with autumn calving herds, and at least 140 are due to calve between September 12 and October 31. There are however c.50 lots due to calf from start May to August. Most will also have sexes provided, with the majority already determined as carrying heifer calves, thanks to sexed semen from Tremlows Officer.

H&H Senior Auctioneer James Little is expecting the April 29 Jalex Select Sale to be a highlight in the national sales calendar. “This is a sale which has a longstanding reputation for producing top quality stores which breed exceptionally well for the purchasers, and we are absolutely confident that this Spring sale will match the success of H&H’s first Jalex sale last year.”

The 2022 Spring’s Jalex sale of autumn-calving heifers attracted almost 500 online bidders along with a packed ringside, 199 heifers sold at an average of just over £2,504 to 78 successful purchasers from all over the UK and Ireland. “Last year’s best quality heifers sold to extreme rates, with a record-breaking £10,000 top price, but good commercial replacements were available at £1700-£2200.This year’s sale will offer exactly the same range and quality, and we expect at least the same level of competitive interest from buyers both on-farm and online.”

James Alexander, founder of Jalex Livestock, says H&H have proved they can tap into the growing interest from mainland UK buyers as well as the Northern Ireland and Irish markets.