As with most sales this spring, prices were well up on last year's sale at the Northern Ireland Simmental Club May show and sale of bulls and heifers at Swatragh Livestock Mart on Friday 2 May. Ten out of the 12 bulls presented for sale sold for an average of £3,847 (€4,519), up £898 on last year's sale, while nine out of the 10 heifers on offer traded for an average of £3,033 (€3,563), up over £700 on last year.
As with most sales this spring, prices were well up on last year's sale at the Northern Ireland Simmental Club May show and sale of bulls and heifers at Swatragh Livestock Mart on Friday 2 May.
Ten out of the 12 bulls presented for sale sold for an average of £3,847 (€4,519), up £898 on last year's sale, while nine out of the 10 heifers on offer traded for an average of £3,033 (€3,563), up over £700 on last year.
Trade peaked at 5,800gns (€7,155) for the reserve male champion Drumagarner Rebel, brought out by Eamon McCloskey from Coleraine, Co Derry.
Born in January 2024, Rebel is a son of Dermotstown Delboy ET, while his mother is a homebred daughter of Drumagarner Eden 13.
He carries a calving figure of +1.6 and will now join the herd of Pearse McWilliams.
Drumagarner RVH Ruth, overall female champion, which sold for 4,200gns. \ Willie McElroy
The McCloskeys also achieved the highest price of 4,200gns (€5,181) in the female section with Drumagarner RVH Ruth, which also picked up the female championship.
This rising two-year-old daughter of Lisglass Kruegar 19 goes back to Omorga Volvo and Rabawn Flame on the dam's line. The buyer on this occasion was Bryan Paul.
Judge Kyle Hayes of Haystar Simmentals found his overall male champion in Breaghey Rolex.
Bred by Andrew Clarke, this Alchester Kracker son is out of the Drumlone Anchor daughter Breaghey Fifi. Born in February 2024 and boasting above breed average indices across most traits, a call of 4,800gns (€5,921) bought him for Charles Watt.
Read all about it in this week's Irish Farmers Journal.
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