Relough tops Dungannon Holstein cow trade at 3,800gns and 3,700gns

Trade for fresh calved cows peaked at 3,800gns, while in-milk heifers sold to a top of 3,550gns, and a service-age bull changed hands at 2,400gns.

Sale leader at 3,800gns was the third calver Relough Rubels Apple VG86 PLI £307 bred by Ronald McLean, and sons Malcolm and Barry, from Donaghmore. Sired by Hoogerhorst DG OH Rubels-Red, she is bred from Relough Simplicity Apple VG89. This young cow is a potential fifteenth generation VG or EX female. She averaged 10,866kgs at 4.02% butterfat and 3,72% protein in two 305 day lactations.

Second highest bid of the day, 3,700gns was also paid to the McLean family for the reserve champion, Relough Applaud Danna 3 VG86-2yr PLI £603. A second calver by Boghill Glamour Applaud, she was bred from the VG89 classified Relough Leap Danna. This young cow is a potential fourteenth generation VG or EX, who gave 9,182kgs at 4.61% butterfat and 3.55% protein in her first lactation. She calved at the end of October and is yielding 48 litres daily.

The pre-sale show, generously sponsored by AI Services (NI) Ltd was judged by HYB member James Patton, from the noted 200-cow Carrowcroft Herd based at Carrowdore in County Down.

He described the reserve champion a lovely young cow with a superb udder. “She has great height and width of rear udder, a lovely hard top, open spring of rib and treks well on sound feet and legs,” added judge, James Patton.

The McLean family claimed the supreme championship with the second calver, Relough Cosmo Danna 4 VG-2yr PLI £261. Sired by Wiltor Cosmo, this one was bred from Relough Conor Danna EX93-2E LP50. Backed by four successive generations of EX dams, she gave 8,868kgs at 5.25% butterfat and 3.54% protein in her first lactation. Calved in early December, she is yielding 43 litres per day and sold for 3,480gns.

James Patton commented: “This a great young cow. She has fantastic body capacity, good spring of rib, a good rump structure and a well attached udder.”

Inch Genetics realised 3,400gns for the second calver, Inch Sound Daphne 5 GP83-2yr. A Mirabell Sound System daughter, she was bred from Inch Lord Daphne who gave 10,926kgs at 4.21% butterfat and 3.28% protein in her second 305-day lactation.

Claiming the honourable mention award and topping calved heifer trade at 3,550gns was the twenty-three-month-old Modelfarm Spock Bambi 2 PLI £164, consigned by Agnew Bros from Caledon. Calved ten days and producing 35 litres daily, she was sired by Rosylane LLC Spock, and is bred from Modelfarm Hartley Bambi 2.

James Patton added: “This is a very milky heifer with a well attached udder. She boasts length from head to tail, has a good rump and treks well on a great set of feet and legs.”

Herd mate, Modelfarm Zebedee Charity PLI £306 followed close behind at 3,540gns. An ABS Zebedee daughter, this one is out of the home-bred Modelfarm Hartley Charity who gave 10,658kgs at 4.52% butterfat and 3.20% protein in her fourth lactation.

The McLean family’s Relough Music Dot PLI £140, came under the hammer of auctioneer Michael Taaffe at 3,340gns. Sired by CEH Music, she is bred from Relough Supershot Dot EX93-4E LP90. This two-year-old heifer is bred from three successive generations of EX dams, and also has seven generations of VG and EX dams in her pedigree.

Relough Chase Danna 9 PLI £405, a potential eighth generation EX, secured a bid of 3,280gns for the McLean family. A Drouner K&L Chase daughter, she was bred from Relough Heinz Danna EX91-4E 5* LP70 who gave 12,558kgs at 4.23% butterfat and 3.39% protein in her fifth lactation.

Also selling at 3,280gns was the second placed heifer, Kilvergan Earlybird Precious 2 PLI £477, bred by Stephen Haffey and Sons, Lurgan. Sired by Westcoast Earlybird, this one is bred from Kilvergan Vader Precious.

David Buchanan, Newry, sold the potential tenth generation VG or EX Ardnasalem Rager Royalty Red for 3,200gns. Sired by Ri-Va-Re Rager Red, she was bred by P Colton, and is out of Ardnasalem Artisan Royalty Red VG86 who is currently in her third lactation and producing 46 litres per day.

Following close behind at 3,180gns was Relough Robin Pandora PLI £277. This potential tenth generation VG or EX heifer was sired by Koepon Oh Robin Red, and is bred from Relough Magictouch Pandora EX91-2E.

Kilgarriffe Siliva 14, a potential sixth generation VG or EX, sold at 3,020gns for David Buchanan. This one is by Farmers Wish Exloer Caruso, and bred from Kilgarriffe Silva VG88.

Selling for the same price was Ian and Paul Agnew’s Modelfarm Elevated Candy PLI £305. A Sherdon Elevated Red daughter, she was bred from Modelfarm Applejax Candy.

- The first Dungannon Dairy Sale of the New Year, sponsored by Bank of Ireland, is scheduled to take place on Thursday, 22 nd January. For further details and to submit entries contact Taaffe Auctions, tel: 00353 41 9881288.