A GUERNSEY heifer sold for a $16,000 breed record price for an unjoined heifer at the International Dairy Week (IDW) sale on Tuesday.
Bidding on three lots was dominated by international buyers, which was the catalyst for the record price.
The 16-month-old heifer is the daughter of the legendary Florando SD Koala, which was named grand champion cow at IDW for four consecutive years and was named Global Guernsey Cow of the Year in 2014.
The heifer Kearla Latimer Koala was bought by Mansour Al Dheheri, of the United Arab Emirates, with the sale facilitated by Trevor Robbins, of Australia's Livestock Exporters, bidding through representative David Ninnes, from Semex.
Kevin and Carla Gass, Corriemungle, Vic, offered the heifer for sale, along with its half sister, Kearla Prada Koala, which sold for $4000.
Mr Gass had owned Florando SD Koala in partnership with the Joyce family, and had retained some of its daughters and embryos when that partnership was dissolved a couple of years ago.
The record price was great for the breed, Mr Gass said.
"It shows people there is money to be made in Guernseys and puts them in the limelight," he said.
The top price helped push the sale average to a record $5630.
The second top-priced heifer was offered by Western Australian breeder Colin Gilbert and was also bought by an overseas buyer - this time Digby Gribble, from the United Kingdom on behalf of UK Guernsey Cattle and G Norris, UK.
Mr Al Dheheri bought Mr Gilbert's other offering - an 18-month-old heifer - for $5700.
The buyer of the top-priced heifer in the Ayrshire sale at International Dairy Week on Tuesday first spotted the animal when he judged it in a show last year.
Steven Eagles, from the Eagles Partnership, Gooloogong, NSW, placed Boldview Demp-Star as champion in the Murray Bridge, South Australia, all breeds heifer show in July – "I have liked her since then”..
Mr Eagles paid $4800 for the heifer offered by Boldview Farms, Jervois, SA.
Next best, also from Boldview Farms, sold for $4500 to CM Fahey, Toolijooa, NSW.
Nine of the 11 lots in the sale sold for an average of $2878, including an embryo package at $4000.
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