Prices peaked at 5,500gns, and following a complete clearance, auctioneer Mark Stewart confirmed that 14 bulls changed hands to level at £4,100 per head – an increase of £1,820 on twelve months ago when seven lots averaged £2,280 each.
Mark Stewart commented: “With the good weather continuing and first cut silage underway on farms across the country, the sale attracted a lot of interest from online bidders. Five bulls sold via the Marteye online portal.”
The pre-sale show was generously sponsored by Wilson Agri, and judged by Holstein NI president Gaston Wallace from the noted Printshop herd at Nutt’s Corner.
Securing the day’s supreme championship was Relough Darfect PLI £443, bred and exhibited by Ronald McLean and Sons, Donaghmore, County Tyrone. This yearling entry was sired by Siemers Rengd Parfect ET A2A2. His dam, Relough Einstein Danna VG87 (3yr) averaged 11,326kgs at 4.51% butterfat and 3.37% protein in two 305-day lactations. Backed by ten generations of VG and EX dams, the champion sold to online bidder William Irwin from Armagh.
The McLean family won the reserve championship with the twelve-month-old Relough Dardy PLI £337. He stood second in his class behind the champion. This Siemers Pfct Hardy son is bred from Relough Pepper Danna 14 VG88 who produced 12,450kgs at 4.44% butterfat and 3.38% protein in three 305-day lactations. Boasting eleven generations of VG and EX dams, this bull attracted a bid of 4,600gns from Henry Donaghy from Eglinton.
Judge Gaston Wallace was impressed the quality of bulls on parade. “My supreme and reserve champions are two super young bulls with great style and stretch. They are well-balanced, full of breed character and trek well on sound feet and legs.”
The Relough Herd sold four bulls to average £4,502 per head.
Following close behind at 4,500gns was Prehen 5601 Leeds from Robbie and Stuart Smith’s herd at Londonderry. Sired by Denovo 2776 Leeds, sire of four of the top five GPLI bulls at Genus, he was bred from Prehen Sassafras Elisha EX90 (4yr) SP. This sixteen-month-old bull has a genomic PLI £579 and is backed by nine successive generations of EX dams. Buying online was Liam Bradley from Warrenpoint.
Robbie and Stuart Smith sold six Prehen bulls to average £3,841 each.
Their honourable mention award winner Prehen 5701 Elon PLI £239 sold for 4,350gns to Jim and Nicholas McCann’s Simlahill Herd at Bangor. A fifteen-month-old by the home-bred Prehen Elon ET, his dam is Prehen Atwood Elisha VG88 who gave 10,097kgs of milk at 4.70% butterfat and 3.29% protein in her sixth lactation. He is bred from nine generations of VG and EX cows.
The fourth prize winner Prehen 5714 Leeds GPLI £781 came under the hammer at 4,200gns, selling to Desmond McAuley from Toome. This sixteen-month-old bull is by Denovo 2776 Leeds, and is bred from Prehen Mendel Massia 3 GP84 SP.
The first bull into the salering was the twenty-one-month-old Glasson Avert PLI £161, a Legend Maker Victor son, bred from Glasson Doc A Erle VG86 (2yr). This third prize winner is backed by nine generations of VG and EX dams, and sold for 4,300gns to online bidder Thomas Steele from Coleraine.
The Haffey duo also realised 4,100gns for Glasson Error. A second prize winner, he was sired by DG NH Arrow, and is out of the successful show cow, Glasson Atwood J Erle EX95-3 (7yr) LP50. This eighteen-month-old is bred from eight generations of VG and EX dams.
Results from the pre-sale show:
Class 1 – 1, Norman and Nathanael McCollum, Bellemont Mason PLI £506 by Winstar Maserati P ET; 2, Philip and Simon Haffey, Glasson Error by DG NH Arrow ET; 3, Philip and Simon Haffey, Glasson Avert PLI £161 by Legend Maker Victor.
Class 2 – Robbie and Stuart Smith, Prehen 5601 Leeds GPLI £579 by Denovo 2776 Leeds; 2, Robbie and Stuart Smith, Prehen Farrant PLI £623 by Pine Tree Denovo Aleo ET.
Class 3 – 1, and honourable mention, Robbie and Stuart Smith, Prehen 5701 Elon by Prehen Elon ET; 2, Robbie and Stuart Smith, Prehen 5719 Elon by Prehen Elon ET; 3, Jim and Nicholas McCann, Simlahill Chief Haribo ET by Stantons Chief; 4, Robbie and Stuart Smith, Prehen 5714 Leeds by Denovo 2776 Leeds.
Class 4 – 1, and supreme champion, R McLean and Sons, Relough Darfect by Siemers Rengd Parfect; 2, and reserve champion, R McLean and Sons, Relough Dardy by Siemers Pfct Hardy; 3, R McLean and Sons, Relough Latalla by Comestar Latayo; 4, R McLean and Sons, Relough Dannect by Siemers Rengd Parfect.
1. Keeping an eye on the Holstein bull judging at Kilrea. Picture: Julie Hazelton
Keeping an eye on the Holstein bull judging at Kilrea. Picture: Julie Hazelton Photo: Julie Hazelton
2. Simon Haffey, Portadown, at Holstein NI’s Kilrea bull sale. Picture: Julie Hazelton
Simon Haffey, Portadown, at Holstein NI’s Kilrea bull sale. Picture: Julie Hazelton Photo: Julie Hazelton
3. Kilrea Mart auctioneer Mark Stewart in the rostrum at Holstein NI’s May bull sale. Picture: Julie Hazelton
Kilrea Mart auctioneer Mark Stewart in the rostrum at Holstein NI’s May bull sale. Picture: Julie Hazelton Photo: Julie Hazelton
4. Sponsor David Armstrong, Wilson Agri, pictured at the Holstein NI Kilrea bull show and sale with club secretary, John Martin MBE, and president Gaston Wallace. Picture: Julie Hazelton
Sponsor David Armstrong, Wilson Agri, pictured at the Holstein NI Kilrea bull show and sale with club secretary, John Martin MBE, and president Gaston Wallace. Picture: Julie Hazelton Photo: Julie Hazelton