Dungannon venue for Simmentals autumn show and sale

Generously sponsored by Bimeda, the pre-sale show will be judged by Alice Stubbs from the Drumbulcan Herd based at Irvinestown, County Fermanagh.

Judging gets underway at 10.30am, with auctioneer Trevor Wylie scheduled to put the first lot under the hammer at 1pm.

The catalogue has attracted an entry of eight bulls and 32 females. A selection of commercial females will be sold immediately after the pedigree auction.

Bulls on offer range in age from February 2016 to July 2016, and are sons of leading AI sires such as Ballyduff Jeweller, Kilbride Farm Newry, Dermotstown Delboy, Kilbride Farm Delboy, the 20,000gns Perth champion Auchorachan Wizard, the outcross sire Curaheen Apostle, and the polled Vingegaard Columbus.

The pedigree females on offer were born between September 2015 and September 2016. They are daughters of noted AI bulls such as Hillcrest Champion, Kilbride Farm Bantry, Auchorachan Wizard, Dermotstown Delboy, Curaheen Apostle, Kilmore Franko, Popes Barclay, Celtic Comet, Delfur Decider, Longbeach Darius, Omorga Baldwin, Kilbride Farm Newry and Keeldrum Clio.

Herds represented in the catalogue include Balleny, Ballinlare Farm, Breaghey, Bridgewater Farm, Camus, Castlemount, Clanrolla, Derrycallaghan, Glenock, Magheracrigan, Owenskerry, Rehall, Scribby Farms, Slieve Croob and Whitdrum.

The catalogue includes draft sales from the Kilmore, Longbeach and Omorga herds.

Also included in the catalogue is the dispersal of the noted Woodford Herd, property of the late Mrs Thelma Gorman from Armagh. This comprises of two cows with calf at foot, and a maiden heifer.

The 2015 Balmoral Show reserve junior champion Woodford Penny (lot 27) sells with her eight-week-old Kilbride Farm Comber heifer calf. Her August 2016 Curaheen Apostle daughter Woodford Hannah (lot 21) is also on offer.

Club chairman Matthew Cunning said: “Prospective bidders are assured of quality and consistency, and can buy with confidence knowing that all pedigree and commercial cattle have been vaccinated for BVD.

“Many of the pedigree females featured in the catalogue come from high health status herds, and the commercial females are all exhibitor-bred and have been inspected on-farm.”

He added: “The pedigree stock will be veterinary inspected on the morning of the sale, and sold under the auspices of the National Beef Association.”

Matthew Cunning continued: “With rising overhead costs commercial suckler farmers are keen to take advantage of the Simmental breed’s dual purpose characteristics. The Simmental boasts tremendous maternal traits, giving it a competitive edge when it comes to profitability. Simmental females are fertile and have great mothering instincts, coupled with plenty of milk.”

The pre-sale show is sponsored by Bimeda, the global manufacturer and distributor of animal health products and veterinary pharmaceuticals. One of its leading products is Bimectin Plus, a broad spectrum injection for the control of internal and external parasites in cattle.

This three-in-one injection for chronic fluke, worms and lice, contains the potent anthelmintics Ivermectin and Clorsulon, and offers convenience, value for money and efficacy.

The Clorsulon component has been shown to be over 99% effective against adult fluke, making Bimectin Plus a popular choice for UK cattle farmers. For the beef farmer Bimectin Plusm has a meat withdrawal period of 66 days.

Territory manager for NI Kevin McAnenly said: “Bimectin Plus is licensed for a wide range of internal and external parasites. Lungworms, stomach worms and live fluke can all have a devastating economic effect on cattle. Bimectin Plus contains a powerful combination of anthelmintics, which controls all three parasites in one injection.”

The catalogue for the forthcoming sale can be viewed on the British Simmental Cattle Society’s website: www.britishsimmental.co.uk. Click on sales and select on-line catalogues.

Catalogues are available on request from the auctioneers, Dungannon Farmers’ Mart tel: 028 8772 2727.