Buoyant trade as dairy stock tops 4,400gns at Dungannon

Paul Dunn from Bangor had a successful day at the monthly dairy auction, securing four of the day’s top five highest bids.

Leading his entry at 4,400gns was the second calver Dunbanard Taos Cinderella GP84-2yr PLI £390. Sired by Leaninghouse Taos, her dam was the EX91 Dunbanard Pepper Cinderella. This young cow is bred from four generations of EX cows and has thirteen generations of VG and EX dams in her pedigree. She gave 8,368kgs at 4.71% butterfat and 3.58% protein in her first lactation.

Next best at 4,300gns was the fourth placed cow Dunbanard Taos Phyllis PLI £320, a potential fourth generation VG or EX. Another by Leaninghouse Taos, she produced 9,392kgs of milk at 4.53% butterfat and 3.34% protein in her heifer lactation.

Paul Dunn sold two heifers for 4,000gns each. First to sell was Dunbanard Pace Cinderella PLI £311, a potential fourteenth generation VG or EX female, sired by Siemers Cway Pace. Her dam, Dunbanard Mogul Cinderella 2 VG87 averaged 10,106kgs at 3.87% butterfat and 3.40% protein in two lactations.

Dunbanard Taos Della 2 PLI £393 is a potential nineth generation VG or EX Leaninghouse Taos daughter. She is bred from Dunbanard Pepper Della VG who averaged over 12,000kgs at 4.15% butterfat and 3.40% protein in two lactations.

Also selling at 4,000gns was Philip and Simon Haffey’s Glasson Twizzi Don Gloria PLI £65. Sired by the Croteau Lesperron Unix son, Annaghmore Twizzi, her dam is the EX classified Glasson Donatello Uno G Glora. This heifer is a potential tenth generation VG or EX.

Next best at 3,950gns was Wilson and Andrew Patton’s Ards Ryder J Massia Red PLI £32. A Keopon Oh Ryder Red daughter, she is potential ninth generation VG or EX, bred from Ards Diamondback Massia Red EX.

The Patton family also realised 3,900gns was Ards Parfect Charisa PLI £308. This one was sired by Siemers Rengd Parfect, and is bred from Ards Vader Charisa GP-2yr.

Sam and John McCormick’s Hilltara Applejax Charlotte 6th PLI £314 came under the hammer at 3,900gns. She was sired by Seagull Bay Applejax, and is out of the home-bred Hilltara Cyprus Charlotte 3.

Ards Holysmokes Romina PLI £349, by Cookiecutter Holysmokes, sold for 3,800gns. The same price was paid to Paul Dunn for Dunbanard Mellencamp Cinderella PLI £377, a potential thirteenth generation VG or EX by Fly Higher Mellencamp.

The pre-sale show was generously sponsored by Irwin’s Feed. Judge Ian Agnew from the 300-cow Modelfarm Herd awarded the championship ribbons to Sam and John McCormick’s second calver Hilltara Applejax Janine PLI £246. Fresh calved she is giving 44 litres daily and sold for 3,750gns.

“The champion is a lovely young cow with a leg in every corner. She has a good deep body and a well attached udder,” said the judge.

Other leading prices include:

3,700gns paid to Inch Genetics for Inch Adorable Daphne 4 PLI £93; Wilson and Andrew Patton for Ards Kingdoc H Belara PLI £231; Sam and John McCormick for Hilltara King Doc Divine 10 PLI £178; and Wilson and Andrew Patton for the second calver Ards Dynasty Marq I PLI 319.

3,650gns paid to Inch Genetics for Inch Holysmokes Anne 2 PLI £321; and Wilson and Andrew Patton for Ards Dynasty Karamel PLI £321.

3,600gns paid to Sam and John McCormick for Hilltara Parfect Maude 7 PLI £267.

3,500gns paid to Sam and John McCormick for Hilltara Applejax Starvale PLI £169.

The reserve championship went to Sam and John McCormick’s Hilltara King Doc Charlotte 8 PLI £115. She is by Woodcrest King Doc and sold for 3,400gns.

Claiming the honourable mention award was the fresh calved heifer Inch Pepper Karine PLI £156, sold for 3,200gns.

Inch Genetics sold an entry of eight maiden heifers. They peaked at 1,700gns, realised by the September 2025 Inch Parfect Daphne 7 PLI £273. Sired by Siemers Rengd Parfect, she was bred from Inch Rapid Daphne 2.

Bulling heifers consigned by Pat McVeigh, Magherafelt, reached a ceiling of 1,610gns. Leading his entry was Ashbrook Farm Ruler Della PLI £135, an Inch Ruler daughter bred from Ashbrook Farm Rave Dellia.

Any entry of June and July born heifer calves from Bavanmore Farms, Newry, sold to a top of 830gns, realised by the three-month-old Bavanmore Rager Red Sonia. Her dam, Bavanmore Elevated Sonia gave 7,910kgs at 5.93% butterfat and 3.24% protein in her first lactation.