Simmental bulls soar to 3,300gns at Dungannon

Prices reached a ceiling of 3,300gns at the NI Simmental Cattle Breeders' Club's spring show and sale, hosted by Dungannon Farmers' Mart.

Speaking after the sale auctioneer Trevor Wylie confirmed a 70% clearance with 14 bulls selling to average £2,512 and 13 females levelling at £2,000 each.

Topping trade at 3,300gns was the fourth placed Scribby Farms Harvey TSI+76 SRI+79 bred by Keith and Andrea Nelson from Rosslea. Born in October 2016, he is by Kilbride Farm Escalop and out of a home-bred dam by the 10,000gns Stirling champion Drumlone Anchor. Ranked in the breed’s top 5% for eye muscle area +5, and top 15% for daughter calving ease +2.3, he sold to James McCloskey from Claudy.

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Two lots came under the hammer at 3,200gns, including the reserve male and reserve supreme champion Derrycallaghan Home Ringer TSI+79 SRI+87 bred by Harold Stubbs, and grandson Alan Burleigh, from Co Fermanagh.

This December 2016 Popes Laird son is bred from the Sterling Herkules daughter Derrycallaghan Top Girl – one of three cows in the herd. He was a class winner at Fermanagh County Show last year, and is in the top 20% for calving ease +3.0 and eye muscle area +4.3. Highest bidder was RW Ferguson from Newtownstewart.

Also selling at 3,200gns was the October 2016 Kilbride Farm Hitech, a third prize winner bred by Billy Robson OBE, and sons Michael and Norman, from Doagh, Ballyclare. Sired by Welsh-bred stock bull Crugmelyn Brenin, he is out of a home-bred dam by the 15,000gns Cairnview Snazzy. This one is in the breed’s top 5% for terminal sire index +103, self replacing index +115, and eye muscle area +5.5. He was snapped up by Raymond Thompson from Killaloo, Co Londonderry.

The Robson family who run 100 pedigree cows also brought out the male and supreme overall champion Kilbride Farm Hoylake TSI+71 SRI+68. Born in August 2016, he is by the Crugmelyn Brenin son Kilbride Farm Escalop, and is out of the Omorga Volvo daughter Kilbride Farm Gina 21B. With a Breedplan milk value of +12 in the breed’s top 1%, and an eye muscle area +4.2 in the top 20%, he sold for 3,000gns to K Haslett from Dungiven.

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Females peaked at 3,000gns, paid to Adrian Richardson, Maguiresbridge, for the female champion Cleenagh Ivy. This 14-month-old heifer was sired by the 2014 and 2015 Balmoral champion Dermotstown Delboy, and is out of the Bridgemount Vixon daughter Stralongford Courtney. She was shown successfully last year, securing first prizes at Clogher and Enniskillen Shows, and was crowned junior champion at the Balmoral Pedigree Calf Fair. Buyer was Wesley Abraham for his Magheracrigan Herd based at Irvinestown.

Leslie and Christopher Weatherup, Ballyclare, bred the reserve female champion Lisglass Honeybee sold for 2,300gns to John and Sandra Middleton, Creevagh, Co Londonderry. This nineteen-month-old heifer is a daughter of Omorga Murray, and is out of the Kilbride Farm Porter daughter Lisglass Duchess.

Following close behind at 2,200gns was the third placed Castlemount Modesty 4th from Duncan McDowell’s herd at Newtownards. Born in October 2016, she was sired by Longbeach Darius, and is out of the Omorga Volvo daughter Slievenagh Belle 10.She sold to Mark Elliott from Ballinamallard.

The pre-sale show was judged by Newtownards beef producer Gareth Corrie, and generously sponsored by Irwins Feed, represented by Ian Cummins, Andrew West and Barry Marshall.

Results from the judging ring:

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Bull, born between 08/06/16 and 31/08/16 – 1, male and supreme champion, WH Robson and Sons, Kilbride Farm Hoylake by Kilbride Farm Escalop; 2, Nigel Glasgow, Bridgewater Farm Hampton by Kilbride Farm Delboy; 3, Duncan McDowell, Castlemount Hilltown by Longbeach Darius.

Bull, born between 04/09/16 and 03/10/16 – 1, Richard Rodgers, Hiltonstown Hunter ET by Dermotstown Delboy; 2, Kenneth Stubbs, Drumbulcan Heartbeat by Drumacritten Callum; 3, Messrs Chartres and Farrell, Lakeside Hardy by Delfur Decider.

Bull, born between 09/10/16 and 14/11/16 – 1, Keith and Andrea Nelson, Scribby Farms Hunter by Kilbride Farm Delboy; 2, Philip and Avril Whyte, Calfpark Hercules by Curaheen Dickens; 3, WH Robson and Sons, Kilbride Farm Hitech by Crugmelyn Brenin.

Bull, born between 14/12/16 and 20/02/17 – 1, reserve male and reserve supreme champion, Harold Stubbs and Alan Burleigh, Derrycallaghan Home Ringer by Popes Laird; 2, Val and Conrad Fegan, Knockreagh Hawthorn by Omorga Watson; 3, Pat Kelly, Ashland Invincible by Kilbride Farm Escalop.

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Female, born between 30/07/16 and 24/09/16 – 1, and reserve female champion, Leslie and Christopher Weatherup, Lisglass Honeybee by Omorga Murray; 2, Michael and Eamon McCloskey, Drumagarner Hazel by Rabawn Flame; 3, Michael and Eamon McCloskey, Drumagarner Heaven by Drumagarner Eden.

Female, born between 06/10/16 and 05/01/17 – 1, and female champion, Adrian Richardson, Cleenagh Ivy by Dermotstown Delboy; 2, Kenneth Veitch, Drumlone Hilary by Omorga Eli; 3, Duncan McDowell, Castlemount Modesty 4th by Longbeach Darius.

The Northern Ireland Simmental Cattle Breeders’ Club is staging an evening show and sale of bulls and females at Ballymena Mart on Wednesday 30th May. Watch press for further details.