Angus bulls soar to 5,200gns

Prices soared to a top of 5,200gns, and following a complete clearance auctioneer Trevor Wylie confirmed that 12 bulls changed hands to level at £3,447 per head.

“Trade was buoyant from start to finish, with dairy herd owners and suckler farmers out in force to secure easy calving stock bulls for their enterprises,” he said.

Claiming the day’s highest bid of 5,200gns was Bessiebell Lord Thatcher V072 bred by Jack Smyth from Newtownstewart, County Tyrone. This eighteen-month-old bull was sired by Linton Gilbertines Preacher S088, and is the first calf bred from the multi award winning Bova Lord Blackwood H175 daughter, Drumbeera Lady Thatcher T226. His dam was champion at the Irish National Aberdeen Angus Calf Show at Carrick-on-Shannon as an eleven-month-old heifer in 2017, and was secured by the two-cow Bessiebell prefix for 4,500 Euro.

Second highest price of the day 4,100gns was paid to Alan and Naomi Morrison, Maguiresbrige, County Fermanagh, for the June 2019 Drummeer Lord Thor V334 TSI+32 SRI+41. His sire Wedderlie Blackbox J935 won the AII-Ireland Championship in 2016 as a seven-year-old for Albert de Cogan, and shortly afterwards was purchased as the senior stock bull for the Morrison family’s 12-cow herd.

Lord Thor is out of the home-bred Nightingale Eldorado G381 daughter Drummeer Lady Tara N407. Buyers were Riddell and Timothy Murphy, who own a 175-cow dairy herd at Derrynoose near Keady in County Armagh. They have been using Aberdeen Angus herd sires for over six years, and selected this bull for his breed character, level topline and sound legs and feet.

”Aberdeen Angus bulls are easy calving, and their docile nature make them easy to work with,” commented Timothy, who sells the dairy-bred calves as stores, or finishes them off-farm through the certified producer scheme operated by Foyle Meats.

The Morrison partnership also realised 3,000gns for the April 2019 Drummeer Bateman V286 TSI+29 SRI+37. Another by Wedderlie Blackbox J935, his dam is the Blelack Evermore J231 daughter Drummeer Beauty P573.

The January 2020 born Ballyvaston Emperor W112 bred by Christopher Strain, Downpatrick, County Down, sold to dairy farmer David Todd, Dungannon, County Tyrone, for 3,700gns. Sired by Linton Gilbertines Preacher S088, he is out of the home-bred Ballyvaston Eve T041, a daughter of the noted three-times All-Ireland Champion Rosemead Karona J957.

Next best at 3,400gns was Lurgaboy Armani V363 consigned by Joe Conlon from Markethill, County Armagh. Born in September 2019, he was sired by Friarstown Evolver N274, and is bred from the Haymount Wurz F676 daughter Penguin Anne K427. Buyers were Messrs D and W Dunbar from Newtownstewart.

The November 2019 Island Farm Edwardo V586 TSI+36 SRI+45 attracted a bid of 3,300gns for Kevin McOscar, Cookstown, County Tyrone. He was sired by the 13,000gns Blelack Prince Consort A286, and is bred from Cheeklaw Elana T601. The securing bid came from dairy herd owner William Graham, Tamlaght, County Fermanagh.

David Whan, Dromara, County Down, realised 1,800gns for the maiden heifer Slievecroob Kristina W707. This fourteen-month-old heifer is by Rawburn Jumbo Eric S297, and out of the home-bred Slievecroob Kate N162. Buyer was David Cromie, Belfast.