Sharper trade for cattle at Ballymena

A good entry of 390 beef cattle in Ballymena on Thursday resulted in a sharper trade.

Beef cows sold to 192p for 800kg at £1536, Fr cows to 130p for 610kg at £793, beef heifers to 202p for 530kg at £1070, beef bullocks to 209p for 530kg at £1107, Fr bullocks to 134p for 540kg at £723.

Fat cows sold to: SB & D Weatherup, Ballyearl Lim 800kg £1536 (192), B & R Spence, Crumlin BB 580kg £968 (167), J McFetridge, Glenarm Lim 520kg £842 (162), SB & D Weatherup Lim 730kg £1168 (160), R McWilliams, Swatragh Char 850kg £1360 (160), Hugh McNeill, Ballygally Char 490kg £774 (158), W McVey, Carnlough Char 680kg £1074 (158), Robert Armstrong, Lisburn BB 590kg £908 (154), WA Hagan, Ballyclare Char 590kg £902 (153), Hugo Lennox, Coagh Lim 700kg £1064 (152), Thomas Strange, Straid Blonde 670kg £1005 (150), J Hayes, Rasharkin Blonde 790kg £1169 (148), SB & D Weatherup, Ballyearl Lim 730kg £1080 (148), S Hammond, Cookstown Char 740kg £1065 (144), S Taylor Sim 580kg £829 (143), SW Clyde, Randalstown Lim 630kg £894 (142), Pat McCarry, Ballycastle Sim 760kg £1079 (142), R & W Fleck, Broughshane Sim 720kg £1000 (139), E Dougan, Castledawson Char 610kg £847 (139), SW Clyde, Randalstown Lim 590kg £814 (138), Lim 730kg £1007 (138), Pat McCarry, Char 610kg £841 (138), J Hayes, Rasharkin Blonde 710kg £972 (137), local producer AA 800kg £1096 (137).

Friesian cows sold to: R Waide, Cloughmills 610kg £793 (130), A & W McIlwaine, Ballyclare790kg £932 (118), S Fullerton, Bushmills 890kg £1041 (117), S Wallace, Ballymena 630kg £730 (116), Sam Wadsworth, Lisburn 670kg £770 (115), local farmer 630kg £718 (114), Sam Wadsworth 710kg £809 (114), Ian Thompson, Templepatrick 650kg £708 (109), A & W McIlwaine, Ballyclare 660kg £719 (109), Ivan Jackson, Ballynure 730kg £795 (109), A & W McIlwaine 650kg £702 (108), Ivan Jackson 660kg £712 (108), George Kerr, Ahoghill 690kg £745 (108), S Wallace 620kg £663 (107), Desmond McKee, Randalstown 660kg £699 (106), D & A Erwin, Ballymena 740kg £777 (105), WEJ Young, Randalstown 760kg £798 (105), D Morrison, Armoy 720kg £748 (104), Ivan Jackson, Ballynure 710kg £738 (104), Dean McAllister, Armoy 700kg £728 (104), A & W McIlwaine, Ballyclare 570kg £587 (103), W Black, Aghadowey 660kg £679 (103), Ivan Jackson 690kg £710 (103), D & A Erwin, Ballymena 680kg £700 (103).

Fat bulls sold to: Hugh McNeill, Ballygally Char 530kg £874 (165), Char 540kg £853 (158), Kenneth McCready, Dromore AA 980kg £1332 (136), GS Taggart, Dundrod SHB 890kg £1068 (120), A & W McMaster, Broughshane SHB 900kg £1071 (119), S Dickson, Bellaghy Lim 870kg £1000 (115), Andy Spence, Nutts Corner Lim 880kg £1003 (114), local farmer Sim 880kg £976 (111), Ian Hunter, Straid Char 1080kg £1188 (110), T McKillop, Glenarm Lim 920kg £1012 (110).

Beef heifers sold to: SB & D Weatherup, Ballyearl Blonde 530kg £1070 (202), Blonde 560kg £1131 (202), B & R Spence, Crumlin Lim 530kg £1060 (200), R McIntyre, Glarryford Char 590kg £1121 (190), E Ferguson, Magherafelt Lim 510kg £969 (190), Patrick McWilliams, Moneyglass AA 540kg £1020 (189), B & R Spence, Crumlin Lim 560kg £1052 (188), Sim 610kg £1134 (186), Thomas McErlean, Bellaghy Par 620kg £1140 (184), Pat McCarry, Ballycastle Lim 600kg £1086 (181), J McKinley, Bushmills AA 610kg £1067 (175), Robert Milne, Bellaghy Lim 600kg £1050 (175), J McKinley, Bushmills AA 590kg £1026 (174), Pat McCarry Lim 550kg £957 (174), B & R Spence, Char 590kg £1014 (172), Pat McCarry, Lim 500kg £860 (172), B & R Spence Lim 570kg £969 (170), Pat McCarry Lim 720kg £1224 (170), WA Hagan, Ballyclare Char 630kg £1071 (170), Joe Blair, Glarryford Lim 570kg £969 (170), R McIntyre, Glarryford Blonde 670kg £1139 (170), SB & D Weatherup Lim 740kg £1243 (168), Robert Milne, Bellaghy Lim 630kg £1014 (161), Joe Blair, Glarryford AA 640kg £1024 (160).

Beef bullocks sold to: JM Morrison, Armoy BB 530kg £1107 (209), BB 570kg £1168 (205), J White, Antrim Lim 580kg £1189 (205), Lim 640kg £1299 (203), Wm McCrory, Broughshane Char 660kg £1320 (200), J White Lim 590kg £1180 (200), BB 620kg £1233 (199), T Mawhinney, Ballyclare Char 650kg £1274 (196), Char 620kg £1215 (196), Wm McCrory Char 660kg £1293 (196), Tom McKinstry, Ballyclare Char 650kg £1274 (196), JM Morrison BB 600kg £1176 (196), Wm McCrory, Broughshane Char 670kg £1286 (192), J White, Antrim Lim 620kg £1190 (192), Lim 660kg £1267 (192), T Mawhinney, Ballyclare Char 640kg £1216 (190), G Gordon, Craigavon AA 660kg £1254 (190), Gary Arthur, Ballymena Par 630kg £1184 (188), JM Morrison, Armoy BB 610kg £1146 (188), J White, Antrim Lim 650kg £1222 (188), J & R Gregg, Glarryford Char 610kg £1146 (188), Gary Arthur, Ballymena Lim 690kg £1290 (187), G Montgomery, Craigavon Lim 700kg £1309 (187), Tom McKinstry, Ballyclare Char 720kg £1339 (186).

Fr bullocks sold to: R Waide, Cloughmills 540kg £723 (134), AM Crawford, Ballynure 530kg £704 (133), 570kg £752 (132), Raymond Walsh, Toomebridge 580kg £765 (132), R Waide 580kg £754 (130), AM Crawford 530kg £678 (128), James Currie, Larne 570kg £689 (121), Andy Spence, Nutts Corner 550kg £660 (120), James Currie, Larne 440kg £528 (120), 420kg £504 (120).

A small entry of dairy stock sold on Friday, 29th July to £960 and £900 for calved heifers from McCloskey farms Ltd, Ballymoney. A Ferguson, Coagh sold heifers which had recently been AI’d to £600.

21 lots in the suckler ring met excellent demand selling to £1680 for a young Limousin bull from SD Hanna, Ballygowan while £1600 was realised for a Lim cow with bull calf at foot. Ruling prices:-

S Gilmore & Co, Kilrea Lim cow & bull calf £1600, Patrick Logan, Ahoghill Lim cow & hfr calf £1580, J Mulvenna, Larne Lim cow & bull calf £1450, John S Coleman, Glarryford Sim cow & bull calf £1400, James McDonnell, Cushendall Lim cow & bull calf £1350, John S Coleman Sim cow &hfr calf £1350, J Mulvenna, Larne Lim cow & hfr calf £1350, S Gilmore & Co, Kilrea Lim cow & bull calf £1320, Lim hfr &hfr calf £1300, J Cormican, Ballinderry Lim cow & bull calf £1300, S Gilmore & Co, Kilrea Lim hfr& hfr calf £1270, James McDonnell, Cushendall Lim cow & bull calf £1220, Lim cow & bull calf £1220, Amanda Bonnar, Glenwherry BB hfr & bull calf £1210, W Logan, Rasharkin Char hfr& bull calf £1120.

234 lots in the calf ring sold to £445 for a 10 week old BB bull, younger bull calves to £345 for a Here, heifer calves to £355 for a strong Lim, younger lots to £320 for a Simmental.

Bull calves sold to: L Mathers, Strabane BB £445, J McCamley, Carrickfergus AA £380, RJT Fleming, Templepatrick Sim £375, Sim £355, JF Smith, Islandmagee BB £350, D Huey, Armoy Here £345, James McAuley, Cushendall Char £335, WJ & FC Patterson, Broughshane AA £325, AA £320, Ganaway farms, Millisle (2) Here £315, T & ME Taylor, Templepatrick AA £310, L Mathers (3) AA £310.

Heifer calves sold to: John Caldwell, Antrim Lim £355, RJT Fleming, Templepatrick Sim £320, J McCamley, Carrick Sim £320, John Caldwell Lim £310, JF Smith, Islandmagee BB £310, James McAuley, Cushendall Char £300, JF Smith, Islandmagee BB £290, WJ & JC Patterson, Broughshane AA £275, WJ Taylor, Kircubbin BB £275, local farmer (2) Sim £270, Wm Hoey, Ballymena BB £268, Ganaway farms, Millisle Here £260, W Patterson, Ballyclare (2) Hol £260, Wm Hoey, Ballymena BB £255.

Friesian bull calves sold to: James Gibson, Aughfatten (strong calves) (2) £175, local farmer (4) £165, GN Andrews, Newry £165. £160, £155, A Ferguson, Coagh (2) £140, Howard S McFerran, Ballywalter (2) £140, R Morrow, Glenarm (younger calves) £135, Howard S McFerran £135. R Morrow £130.

An entry of 200 weanlings in Ballymena resulted in a great trade. Bullocks sold to £485 over for a Lim 380kg at £865 offered by I Hyndman, Maghera. Heifers sold to £405 over for a Blue 370kg at £775 presented by J Gault, Ballyclare.

Heifers 0-250kgs: Local farmer Lim 140kg £360 (257), HD McKeown, Ballymena AA 180kg £460 (255), AA 220kg £515 (234), local farmer Lim 180kg £360 (200), Lim 200kg £400 (200), TF Reid, Glenavy Lim 250kg £475 (190).

251-300kgs: Richard McGinley, Ballymoney BB 280kg £675 (241), G & M McGuickan, Dunloy Char 290kg £670 (231), Richard McGinley (2) Char 260kg £575 (221), TF Reid, Glenavy Lim 260kg £560 (215), SG Lowry, Glenavy Blonde 290kg £620 (213), G Gault, Doagh Lim 290kg £610 (210), local farmer Lim 300kg £625 (208), TF Reid Lim 270kg £560 (207), H Morrell, Macosquin Lim 290kg £590 (203), TF Reid, Glenavy Lim 280kg £550 (196).

301-350kgs: B McCrory, Broughshane Char 320kg £700 (218), A Pollock, Coleraine Lim 320kg £685 (214), G & M McGuickan, Dunloy Char 310kg £660 (212), S Taylor, Ligoniel Char 340kg £720 (211), B McCrory Char 340kg £715 (210), S Taylor, Char 340kg £705 (207), J & D Colgan, Ballycastle Lim 320kg £655 (204), Matt Gingles, Kilwaughter Lim 330kg £670 (203), R & S & Miss P McAuley, Crumlin Char 330kg £665 (201), M McKinstry, Nutts Corner Sim 340kg £680 (200), local farmer Lim 330kg £660 (200), A Pollock, Coleraine Lim 330kg £655 (198), Sim 350kg £690 (197), A Warwick, Templepatrick BB 350kg £685 (195), A Pollock BB 350kg £680 (194), Sim 350kg £675 (192).

351kg and over: John Gault, Ballyclare BB 370kg £775 (209), A Pollock, Coleraine BB 370kg £760 (205), M McKinstry, Nutts Corner Lim 370kg £760 (205), HV McCambridge, Carnlough Char 400kg £800 (200), Neil Cole, Downpatrick BB 430kg £830 (193), A Pollock, Lim 390kg £750 (192), Neil Cole BB 420kg £805 (191), B McCrory, Broughshane Char 410kg £770 (187), Patrick Rowan, Aughafatten Lim 380kg £710 (186), D Murphy, Cushendall Lim 370kg £690 (186), local farmer Lim 370kg £690 (186), B McCrory Char 360kg £670 (186), G & M McGuickan, Dunloy Char 380kg £705 (185), T McKillop, Glenarm Lim 370kg £685 (185), G McAuley, Ballynashee (2) Here 360kg £665 (184).

Bullocks 0-250kgs: Local farmer Lim 210kg £500 (238), Hubert Stewart, Ballyclare (3) AA 240kg £540 (225), local farmer Lim 220kg £450 (204).

251-300kgs: Richard McGinley, Ballymoney Char 260kg £690 (265), Char 290kg £730 (251), W Jeffers, Macosquin Here 300kg £745 (248), Lim 300kg £710 (236), A Reid, Glenarm Lim 290kg £680 (234), TF Reid, Glenavy Lim 280kg £630 (225), SG Lowry, Glenavy Char 280kg £600 (214), James Houston, Randalstown Lim 260kg £540 (207), TF Reid, Lim 300kg £590 (196), Hubert Stewart, Ballyclare (2) Lim 280kg £550 (196), J & D Colgan, Ballycastle Char 270kg £500 (185).

301-350kgs: HV McCambridge, Carnlough Lim 310kg £770 (248), W Jeffers, Macosquin Lim 320kg £780 (243), Char 310kg £750 (241), W & G Hanna, Ballymoney Char 320kg £770 (240), Ivor G Hyndman, Maghera Lim 310kg £740 (238), Lim 340kg £790 (232), W & G Hanna Char 340kg £790 (232), SD Anderson, Kilwaughter Lim 320kg £725 (226), S Taylor, Ligoniel Char 320kg £725 (226), W & G Hanna Char 340kg £770 (226), G Gault, Doagh Lim 310kg £700 (225), W Jeffers, Macosquin Here 350kg £790 (225), Ivor G Hyndman, Maghera Lim 350kg £790 (225), SG Lowry, Glenavy Blonde 320kg £715 (223), Char 320kg £710 (221), Blonde 350kg £755 (215).

351kg and over: Ivor G Hyndman, Maghera Lim 380kg £865 (227), A Lowry, Glenavy Char 360kg £815 (226), A Warwick, Templepatrick Lim 380kg £855 (225), S Taylor, Ligoniel Char 360kg £805 (223), SD Anderson, Kilwaughter Lim 360kg £800 (222), A Pollock, Coleraine Blonde 360kg £795 (220), S Taylor Lim 360kg £790 (219), W & G Hanna, Ballymoney Char 360kg £785 (218), R & S & Miss P Macauley, Crumlin Lim 400kg £850 (212), HV McCambridge Char 420kg £890 (211), Neil Cole, Downpatrick Char 390kg £820 (210), SG Lowry, Glenavy Blonde 360kg £755 (209), SH Bellingham, Ballymoney Lim 380kg £795 (209), A Warwick, Templepatrick Sim 400kg £835 (208), K Gilmore, Saintfield Here 370kg £770 (208), SH Bellingham Lim 370kg £770 (208).

The opening Monday evening sale of the season resulted in 1205 sheep selling in a great trade. Store lambs sold to £64, breeding ewes sold to £125.

Leading prices as follows:

Store lambs sold to: Wm Hamill, Aughafatten 3 Suff £65.50, Robert Loughery, Limavady 60 CB £64, Ian Gibson, Broughshane 44 Tex £64, J Kennedy, Nutts Corner 55 Tex £63, Matthew Magill, Glenarm 16 Tex £62.50, K Kidd, Broughshane 22 Suff £62.50, J Kennedy, Nutts Corner 50 Tex £62.50, Robert Loughery 48 CB £61.50, 12 CB £61.50, 60 CB £61.50, Nelson Wallace, Strabane 47 Suff £61.50, S Robinson, Glenarm 70 Tex £61, D McKillop, Glenariffe 55 Suff £61, James McAuley, Cushendall 29 Suff £60, Malcolm Smith, Kells 29 Char £59, 8 Char £59, Wm Hamill, 12 Suff £59, M Taggart, Glenarm 108 CB £58, H Mulvenna, Glenarm 34 CB £58, Ian Gibson, Broughshane 24 Tex £58, Michael Convery, Cushendun 30 Suff £57, Robert Loughery 33 CB £56, 27 CB £56, Wm Magee, Kilwaughter 31 CB £56.

Breeding ewes sold to: Steven McCann, Randalstown 14 Tex hgts £125, Sean Kearney 10 Tex hgts £124, A Hamilton, Upper Ballinderry 15 Suff hgts £122, Sean Kearney, 10 Tex hgts £118, Steven McCann, 10 Tex hgts £115, H Henry, Larne 11 Mule hgts £112, A Hamilton, Upper Ballinderry 15 Suff hgts £110.

An entry of 150 store cattle in Ballymena on Tuesday resulted in a great trade. Bullocks sold to £680 over for a Char 700kg at £1380 offered by G Simpson, Cullybackey. Heifers sold to £475 over for a Lim 550kg at £1025 presented by P McKay, Martinstown.

Bullocks sold to: Local farmer Lim 320kg £680 (212), C Tinsdale, Carnlough Char 590kg £1250 (211), local farmer Blonde 350kg £730 (208), Jean Craig, Larne Char 490kg £1010 (206), T McDowell, Dundonald BB 440kg £900 (204), Sean Black, Glenarm Char 450kg £910 (202), Jean Craig, Larne Char 460kg £925 (201), C Tinsdale Char 570kg £1135 (199), T McDowell, Lim 480kg £955 (199), Jean Craig Char 440kg £875 (198), Sean Black Char 380kg £755 (198), Brendan McLoughlin, Glenariffe Lim 630kg £1250 (198), C Tinsdale, Char 510kg £1010 (198), Gary Simpson, Cullybackey Char 700kg £1380 (197), G Connon, Aldergrove AA 310kg £610 (196), Jean Craig, Larne Char 440kg £865 (196), C Tinsdale Char 560kg £1100 (196), Sean Black, Glenarm Char 470kg £915 (194), Hay Bros, Ballycarry Lim 370kg £720 (194), Gary Simpson, Cullybackey Char 640kg £1240 (193), Brendan McLoughlin, Glenariffe Lim 470kg £910 (193), G Connon, Aldergrove (2) AA 360kg £695 (193), AA 350kg £675 (192), Sean Black, Glenarm Char 480kg £925 (192).

Heifers sold to: Mrs M Marshall, Clough Char 460kg £925 (201), Blonde 370kg £720 (194), local farmer Lim 500kg £950 (190), Patrick McKay, Martinstown Lim 550kg £1025 (186), local farmer Lim 470kg £875 (186), Mrs M Marshall, Clough Char 420kg £780 (185), Char 460kg £845 (183), Char 400kg £720 (180), A McCullen, Newtownabbey Lim 510kg £875 (171), Mrs M Marshall Char 420kg £720 (171), E Lyttle, Comber Here 570kg £965 (169), A McCullen Lim 480kg £800 (166).

An entry of 1633 sheep in Ballymena on Wednesday resulted in a much sharper trade. Fat lambs sold to 375p for a pen of 15 Texels 22.5kg at £84.50 presented by A & J Currie, Ballyclare and to a top per head of £91 for a pen of 7 Texels 24.5kg from G Martin, Broughshane. Fat ewes sold to £107.

Fat lambs (1122)

(Top prices per kg): A & J Currie, Ballyclare 15 Tex 22.5kg £84.50 (375), John S Coleman, Glarryford 14 Tex 21.5kg £80.50 (374), McKinney Bros, Maghera 5 Tex 21.5kg £80 (372), John Lennox, Kilrea 7 Tex 22kg £81.80 (371), Graeme Martin, Broughshane 7 Tex 24.5kg £91 (371), J McQuiston, Ballymoney 12 Tex 21.5kg £79.50 (369), Martin McCann, Randalstown 19 Tex 23kg £85 (369), J Knox, Broughshane 20 Suff 23kg £84.80 (368), J Muphy, Antrim 39 Tex 22.5kg £82.50 (366), Jack Alexander, Clough 2 Tex 23.5kg £86 (366), H Hunter, Cairncastle 8 Tex 22.5kg £82 (364), S Gregg, Glarryford 2 Tex 21.5kg £78 (362), Wm Warwick, Moorfields 2 Tex 23kg £83 (360), WL Millar, Lisburn 6 Tex 21.5kg £77 (358), Jack Alexander, 9 Tex 22.5kg £80.50 (357), E Clyde, Muckamore 7 Tex 21kg £75 (357), P Penney, Raloo 20 Tex 23kg £81.80 (355), SA Black, Aghadowey 11 Tex 22kg £78 (354), D Gaston, Carnlough 5 Tex 24kg £85 (354), Richard Wilson, Ballyclare 40 Tex 21.5kg £76 (353), F Harbinson, Limavady 10 Tex 24.5kg £86.50 (353), James McDonnell, Glenarm 1 Tex 17kg £60 (352), WJ Shaw, Cloughmills 13 Tex 23.5kg £82.80 (352), WH Magee, Kilwaughter 21 Tex 23kg £81 (352), Mrs E Duff, Ballymena 5 Tex 23kg £81 (352).

Top prices per head: Graeme Martin, Broughshane 7 Tex 24.5kg £91, F Harbinson, Limavady 10 Tex 24.5kg £86.50, Jack Alexander, Clough 2 Tex 23.5kg £86, Logan Anderson, Kilwaughter 12 Suff 26.5kg £85, D Gaston, Carnlough 5 Tex 24kg £85, Martin McCann, Randalstown 19 Tex 23kg £85, P Donnelly, Rathkenny 11 Tex 24.5kg £85, J Knox, Broughshane 20 Suff 23kg £84.80, A & J Currie, Ballyclare 15 Tex 22.5kg £84.50, WR Wilson, Ballymena 16 Tex 24.5kg £84.50, G & I Gray, Muckamore 2 Tex 24kg £84, P McAllister, Ballymoney 1 Suff 26kg £84, Patrick McNeill, Cushendun 3 Tex 25.5kg £84, T Turtle, Broughshane 17 Tex 24.5kg £83.50, R Morrow, Glenarm 8 Suff 24.5kg £83.50, Wm Magee, Kilwaughter 8 Tex 25.5kg £83, P McAllister, Ballymoney 6 Tex 24.5kg £83, J Graham, Glenariffe 9 Char 24.5kg £83, Wm Warwick, Moorfields 2 Tex 23kg £83, WJ Shaw, Cloughmills 13 Tex 23.5kg £82.80, J Murphy, Antrim 39 Tex 22.5kg £82.50, Liam Campbell, Carnlough 1 Zwa 36kg £82, Mrs D Saunderson, Glenwherry 19 Tex 23.5kg £82, H Hunter, Cairncastle 8 Tex 22.5kg £82, J Maybin, Larne 8 Tex 24kg £81.80.

Fat ewes (511)

1st Quality

Suff - £60- £90

Tex - £68-£107

CB - £50-£68

BF - £40-£55