Angus achieve 3500gns top price at Dungannon
Aberdeen-Angus bulls led the way securing a top price of 3,500gns at the annual autumn native breeds show and sale, hosted by Dungannon Farmers’ Mart this week.
Trade was underpinned by commercial suckler producers and at the end of the day’s trading auctioneer Trevor Wylie reported that 14 bulls changed hands to average £2,040 – an increase of almost £170 on this time last year and with three more bulls sold.
Hitting the headlines in both the show and sale rings was the day’s male champion Drumhill Mr Amazone K154, brought out by first-time vendor Jonathan Doyle from Cookstown,
After spirited bidding from the packed ringside audience he was knocked down to Scottish breeder Andrew Elliot from Galashiels who runs 100 commercial cows and the 100-cow Blackhaugh and
Mr Elliot said:”As well as being long and nicely balanced this bull moves well. He also boasts super growth and calving ease figures (+3.1) and his overall Breedplan figures tick a lot of boxes.” Drumhill Mr Amazone is +17 for milk, has an eye muscle area of +4.8, and a self replacing index of +53 – the highest in the sale catalogue.
Mr Doyle was delighted with his day’s achievements. The civil engineering contractor established his 15-cow herd just three years ago and also scooped the reserve female championship at this year’s Balmoral Show.
Judge, Kenneth Bready who runs the Kiltarriff herd based at Rathfriland,
Next best at 2,700gns was the reserve male champion brought out by the father and son team of
Rambler scooped the breed’s male championship at Omagh Show in July, and sold to John McKinley from Ballycastle,
Three lots sold for 2,100gns each. First at that money was the fourth prize winning Dubh Fred K003, an April 2010-born entry consigned by new breeders Raymond and Glenn Kilkey from Cross,
Neville and Ivan Forsythe, Moneymore, County Londonderry, sold two entries from their long-established Coltrim prefix for 2,100gns each, the first of which being the first prize Coltrim Elevator K505 which was snapped up Eamon McKeating, Ballykilner, County Londonderry. Born in May 2010 he is by the herd’s jointly owned stock bull Wedderlie Net Profit E916 and is out of a home-bred dam by former herd sire Kiltariff Dynamic. This bull boasts an SRI of +50 and a milk value of +14.
Wedderlie Net Profit E916 was also behind the breeding of the other bull at the same money, Coltrim Eagle K542. Born in June 2010 he is out of the Kiltariff Dynamic daughter Coltrim Evana G363. He has an SRI of +46 and is +14 for milk and sold to Mr Kelly, Limavady,
Following close behind at 2,000gns was Lana Eugene K662 consigned by the husband and wife team of Alan and Lana Cheney, Trillick,
Also selling at 2,000gns was Priestland Gino exhibited by Jack Smyth, Newtownstewart,
Aberdeen-Angus females peaked at 2,900gns for a draft offering from Robin Lamb, Richhill,
The female champion sold for 2,400gns from James Porter,
Jonathan Doyle realised 1,850gns for Drumhill Ina K187, an un-haltered heifer which caught the eye of Jim and May Jack who run the noted Strule herd based at Fivemiletown,