Farming Eye

The Jalex Production Sale held at Ballymena Mart on behalf of Nelson and James Alexander, Randalstown, saw a demand from producers across the country as well as interest from across the water.

Sale leader at £3500 was the Simmental bull Glenoak Charlie. This three year old bull was purchased by Victor Wilson, Derrylin.

Trade topped at £2600 for heifers on two occasions, the first of which was for a well made red heifer in calf to a Simmental bull. She sold to Matt and Robert Workman, Kilwaughter.

Nigel Matchett, Portadown, then went to £2600 to secure the best of the freshly calved heifers with this outfit selling with a week old Simmental heifer calf at foot.

In-calf heifers were eagerly bid for and met a total clearance with Andrew Ewing, Annan, snapping up 25 of these on behalf of two farmers based in the south of England. A number of top end heifers were also purchased by Alistair Ward, Cumbria. Maiden heifers topped at £1750 paid for a number of lots.

by Chrissie Long

Limousin calves sold to a top call of 1900gns at Ballymena on Saturday when Derek Frew offered his entire 2012-born calf crop from the Frewstown herd.

Leading the sale, which saw a near complete clearance, was the April 2012-born bull calf Frewstown Hullabaloo. Sired by Carmorn Cantona and out of the Mereside Topman daughter, Frewstown Csixteen, this smart calf went  under the hammer to Mr A & Mrs V Armstong, Seskin Rd, Straid, Ballyclare for their Sekingrove pedigree herd.

The same purchasers also took home the similarly bred top-priced heifer calf, Frewstown Harmony, at 1800gns. This one is also by Cantona and is out of another Topman daughter, Frewstown Cfive.

Staying with the females, W and M Martin, Knockan Rd, Broughshane purchased the next two leading lots at 1700gns and 1500gns respectively. Securing a final bid of 1700gns was the January 2012-born Frewstown Hilda, sired by Cantona again, and out of Frewstown Cone. At the 1500gns mark was Frewstown Hotstuff, again sired by Cantona, and this time out of Frewstown Bigbertha, another Topman daughter.

Second best of the bulls on offer was a 1500gns call for Frewstown Goodlooker. June 2011-born, Goodlooker is sired by Carmorn Cantona and is out of the Haltcliffe Premier daughter, Frewstown Uniform. He heads to D and R Mulholland , Ballymacombs Rd, Bellaghy.

Averages; 13 bull calves £1158.23, 14 heifer calves £1105.50 (J A McClelland and Son).

by Jonathan Long

Limousin female trade was led at 4300gns at Ballymena on Saturday, when Gleneagle Ginger from J B O’Kane led the trade.

Ginger is a July 2011-born maiden heifer sired by Rocky and is out of Aghadolgan Annmarie, a Haltcliffe Hercules daughter. She now heads to the establishing pedigree herd of T Riley, Madden, Co Armagh.

Taking the sale’s second best price of 3900gns was Scotchtown Gabrielle bred by L and R Allison, Limavady. This May 2011-born heifer is an Ampertaine Commander daughter and is out of homebred dam, Scotchtown Angel, a Ronick Hawk daughter. Carrying a beef value of LM+30, Scotchtown Gabrielle was bought by local pedigree breeder B Finnegan, Dungannon who runs the Finnegan Herd.

Mr Riley, buyer of the top priced lot then paid 3100gns for Heathmount Gleam consigned by Messrs McKinney Bros, Maghera. This June 2011-born heifer is sired by Bailea Bullion and is out of the homebred dam Heathmount Vixen. She sold with a beef value of +24

He then spent 3000gns on Togherdoo Game from Victor Keys, Dromore. This July 2011-born heifer has a beef value of +35 and is sired by Elrick Atlas and is out of the dam Carmorn Ubell.

Heathmount Goldilocks from Messrs McKinney Bros, took a final bid of 2800gns when going under the hammer to D Harrison, Annalong.  August 2011-born, she is by the Salomon son, Bailea Andre, and is out of the Ionesco-sired dam, Sarkley Bethany and was sold with a beef value of +28.

Another from Messrs Allison, Scotchtown Gina, realised 2300gns to S Smith, Cavan.  Gina is a Wilodge Cerberus daughter and is out of the Ronick Iceman daughter, Scotchtown Allison.

At the 2500gns mark was Culnagechan Estelle from Derek Hume, Randalstown. June 2009-born, Estelle is by Glenrock Vagrant and is out of the Broadmeadows Cannon granddaughter, Burnbank Ashley. She was sold with her Carmorn Copilot sired heifer calf Culnagechan Hussy at foot and PD’d back in calf to Culnagechan Exceptional. New owner is J Booth, Magherafelt.

Average; 32 Females £1670.81 (J A McClelland and Son).

by Jonathan Long

Topping Monday evening’s sale of Suffolk females from the Northern Irish Branch at Ballymena was a ewe lamb from Mark Priestley at 3800gns.

This was KPC 12 011, a daughter of Limestone Total and is out of a dam by Kings Theatre and goes back to Crosemanor Jubilee King. She sold to Mary Julia Cornish, Devon.

Second best was a 2000gns bid for one from the Roinson family. this gimmer, 73A 11 034 is by Jubilee Jethro and out of a dam by Glenho Gurka. She sold in-lamb to Cairness Diamond Geezer. This one was knocked down to Messrs O’Dean.

Making 1600gns was a gimmer from Alistair Gault, AOR 11 009. Sired by Glenisla Sydney, she is out of a dam by Cairness Scholes and sold in-lamb to Broomknowes Touch Of Class. Taking her home was P Grant.

And then at 1300gns was an in-lamb gimmer from the Taylor family. Sired by Cairness Kinane, this one, KKW 11 051, is out of a dam by Muiresk the Menace and sold carrying twins to Birness Bacardi. She sold to Michael Smyth.

by Jonathan Long

It was ladies day at Saturday’s Limousin sale, Ballymena, where the top price of 5000gns was taken by heifer Erne Gemma from Raymond Crawford.

This February 2011-born heifer had been female and overall champion on the day and is by Sauvignon and out of Curraghee Beyonce, a Grahams Samson daughter. She sold to D Boyling, Mollington, Chester, with a beef value of +23.

Second best price in the females went to Beachmount Gucci the reserve female champion bred by K and C Knox, Irvinestown.  This August 2011-born female had a Beef Value of LM+32 and is sired by Sympa out of a homebred dam Beachmount Delta a Nenuphar daughter.  Beachmount Gucci was sold to Mr K and J Beattie, Finvoy, for 2800gns.

Top price in the bulls was the 3100gns paid for the senior and reserve overall male champion, Culnagechan General Lee bred by Derek Hume, Randalstown. A March born bull, Culnagechan General Lee is sired by the noted Rainbow Simon and is out of Glenrock Vivien, a Glenrock Spartacus daughter. This stylish bull has a Beef Value of LM+38 and was sold to commercial breeder Edward Martin, Downpatrick.

The day’s overall male and intermediate champion, Eniver Gypsy from M McKeefry , Garvagh, made the second top bull price of 3000gns.  This April born bull is sired by Ampertaine Brigadeer, a Sympa son, and is out of the dam Oxtown Nellie. Holding a Beef Value of LM+31 this bull was purchased by B O’Loughlin, Maghera.

Third top priced bull of 2600 gns went to the reserve junior champion Aghadolgan Grant from R A G Savage, Coleraine.  This July born bull is sired by Sympa and out of dam .

Averages; 20 bulls £2300, 14 females £1958 (Ballymena Farmers Mart).

by Jonathan Long

Monday’s Ulster Blackface sale at Ballymena saw a top price of 10,000gns paid for a Lanark-type shearling from Charlie Phillips, Draperstown.

10,000gns sale leader from Charlie Phillips

Second best of the day was an 8000gns call for a Perth-type ram lamb from Messrs Harkin Bros, Donemana.

Messrs Harkin's 8000gns

This was then followed by a 6000gns bid for another Lanark-type shearling from Brendan McAllister, Glenarm.

by Jonathan Long

Saturday’s Lleyn sale at Ballymena saw a new Northern Irish breed record set when Messrs B and E Latimer sold their first prize shearling ram at 2050gns.

This homebred tup, by a Seamus Killen sire which was the top priced tup at the Ballymena sale in 2010, sold to William Millen, Co Londonderry.

Seamus Killen, Co Down, breeder of the sire of the top priced tup took the next top price with his second prize shearling ram.  Bred from a Debbie McGowan ram, he sold for 950gns to P J Kane, Co Antrim.

For the third year running Aubrey Bothwell, Co Fermanagh, won the shearling ewe section and went on to realise the top price of £225/head when selling this classy pen to H Long, Co Donegal.  There were three pens which hit the £200/head mark, with the first being from R and E Edwards, Co Down to William McDaid, Co Donegal. Norah Johnston, Co Antrim then sold at the same price to William Millen, Co Londonderry, and the final pen at this money was from R J Johnston, Co Antrim, with this pen selling to William Millen.

The ewe lamb section was topped by R and E Edwards with a stylish pen of five selling for £112/head to William Millen.  Messrs Edwards also sold a pen for £90/head to J H Truesdale and Son, Co Down.  Also trading at this money was a pen from B and E Latimer, Co Tyrone, when joining Delan Mullen, Co Londonderry.

Stirling

Meanwhile, strong demand at today’s sale at Stirling Today saw good clearances and averages in all sections.

Leading the ram trade at 500gns was Jim Goldie, with a shearling selling to Clark Farms, Carluke, while second best was a tup from Messrs Goldie’s Orchard flock when selling to I Quigley, Dumfries at 450gns. Meanwhile, Farmstock Genetics, Hamish Goldie and Laga Farms all sold tups at 400gns.

And in the Goldie family enjoyed a strong female trade too, topping the shearling ewes at £190/head when selling to S and J Corcoran, Newton Stewart, with another pen from the same home selling to then Clark family at £180. Meanwhile the Orchard flock sold at £175 to I Quigley, Dumfries.

Ewe lambs enjoyed arguably the trade of the day with the average rising by £15 on the same sale last year to level at £122. Leading call here was Brian Walling of Farmstock Genetics, Selkirk, selling at £130/head to L Borthwick and Son, Ayrshire, with other pens from the same home making  £120/head and £100/head to the same buyer. Messrs Borthwick also bought the day’s second prize pen from H Gillan, Cupar, at £125/head.

Averages; Ballymena – shearling ewes £136.66, ewe lambs £74.55, ewes £87.06, rams £544.81; Stirling – rams £375.90, shearling ewes £141, ewe lambs £122.

by Jonathan Long

Taking the best price of the sale in the shearling rams here today was John Foster’s Springhill flock, when he sold Springhill Supermodel at 5800gns. Sired by Halley Pathfinder he is out of a dam by Corbo Keane and heads to Wales with L T and F A Jones, having stood first in the pre-sale show.

Mr Foster also took the day’s second best shearling price of 1650gns when he sold Springhill sheriff at 1650gns. This Kelso Picasso son is out of a dam by Curley O’Kelly and was bought by John Watson.

And selling at 1600gns was James Cleland’s shearling Rose Hall Sir Percy, a son of Rose Hall Orlando out of a dam by Rose Hall Maestro. He was knocked down to J A Arnold.

Overall 99 shearlings leveled at 613.08.

by Jonathan Long

Selling is coming to a conclusion here at Ballymena in the Northern Irish National Texel sale, but there are still some good prices about, with Crawfordlands Tyson from David and James Boyd making 2000gns. This is a Beechvale Superior son out of a dam by Poseyhill Organgrinder.

Then at 1700gns was Blackstown Told U So from Jim Wilson. He is by Carmavy Striker and out of a dam by Fairywater Olympian.

A few lots earlier at 1800gns was Farmhill Terrific from Brian Williamson, with this one being a Cornerstone Royal Male Sid daughter out of a dam by Glenside Lion King.

And making 1000gns was Corbo Top Tup from Adrian Liggett. He’s a son of Mullan Playboy out of a dam by Waen Maradonna.

The reserve male champion from the pre-sale show, Derryvore  Terminator went unsold at 350gns.

And very late in the sale Paul O’Connor sold Drumgooland Tattoo for 4500gns. This is a Baltier Rascal son out of a Cowal ewe sired by Kelso Pavarotti and sold to Henry Gamble, Robert Kennedy, James Adams and Martin Cromlie.

Then 198 ram lambs sold averaged out at £728.37.

by Jonathan Long

The Fairywater pen from Andrew Fyffe has sold to a top of 3200gns for Fairywater Tsunami by Castlecairn Celtic Star and out of a dam by Ettrick My Jinks.

From the same pen at 1700gns was Fairywater Tornado, a son of Glensidev Razzle Dazzle out of a dam by Ettrick My Jinks.

Then making 1200gns was Fairywater Thunderstorm, amother by Razzle Dazzle and out of a dam by Montalto Lucky Boy.

The male champion, Fairywater Tribute then sold at 1000gns. This one is by Cornerstone Isaac and out of a dam by Knock Impulse.

by Jonathan Long