Beef bullocks selling to top price per head of £2367 at Ballymena Mart

Beef cows sold to 249p 600kg at £1494, Friesian cows to 156p 780kg at £1216, beef heifers to 294p 570kg at £1675, beef bullocks to 293p 750kg at £2197 to top per head of £2367 for 880kg and Friesian bullocks to 220p 710kg £1562.

Beef cows

W Kelly, Downpatrick Limousin 600kg £1494 (249) J McCabe, Crumlin 650kg £1592 (245) R Ferguson, Comber Charolais 900kg £2187 (243) M Lucas, Antrim Limousin 530kg £1229 (232) R Ferguson, Comber Charolais 890kg £2055 (231) JK Currie, Ballymena Charolais 850kg £1946 (229) P Whyte, Simmental 860kg £1969 (229) M McElchar, Toomebridge Charolais 750kg £1710 (228) R Henry, Kilwaughter Limousin 680kg £1550 (228) W Whyte, Charolais 770kg £1747 (227) and R Ferguson, Charolais 840kg £1898 (226).

Friesian cows

H McCambridge, 780kg £1216 (156) I Thompson, Templepatrick 730kg £1131 (155) B McConnell, Doagh 680kg £1026 (151) H McCambridge, 870kg £1287 (148) B McConnell, 740kg £1080 (146) M Wilkin, Larne 830kg £1186 (143) H McCambridge, 850kg £1207 (142) WS Gregg, Cloughmills 680kg £965 (142) J Campbell, Bushmills 680kg £924 (136) D and M McGregor, 660kg £891 (135) and B McConnell, 660kg £871 (132).

Beef heifers

G Kernohan, Randalstown Limousin 570kg £1675 (294) Charolais 610kg £1756 (288) Limousin 540kg £1549 (287) Limousin 560kg £1596 (285) B Arthurs, Charolais 690kg £1932 (280) J Stewart, Crumlin Limousin 620kg £1711 (276) G Kernohan, Limousin 540kg £1458 (270) Limousin 560kg £1489 (266) and S Duggan, Limousin 570kg £1493 (262).

Beef bullocks

Top per kg

R McCurdy, Ballymena Limousin 750kg £2197 (293) CW Bell, Charolais 790kg £2275 (288) R McCurdy, Limousin 750kg £2152 (287) CW Bell, Belgian Blue 680kg £1944 (286) R McCurdy, Limousin 710kg £1988 (280) CW Bell, Limousin 700kg £1960 (280) W Sherrard, Coleraine Limousin 810kg £2268 (280) R McCurdy, Limousin 710kg £1988 (280) Limousin 720kg £2016 (280) and A Houston, Lisburn Limousin 790kg £2196 (278).

Top per head

C W Bell, Ballynahinch Charolais 880kg £2367, A Houston, Lisburn Charolais 900kg £2313, CW Bell, Charolais 790kg £2275, W Sherrard, Coleraine Limousin 810kg £2268, A Houston, Charolais 840kg £2209, R McCurdy, Limousin 750kg £2197, A Houston, Limousin 790kg £2196, R McCurdy, Limousin 750kg £2152, A Houston, Charolais 840kg £2125 and C W Bell, Charolais 830kg £2116.

Friesian bullocks

S McNabney, Clough 710kg £1562 (220) M Jamison, Larne 830kg £1809 (218) A Rocke, Larne 770kg £1663 (216) 710kg £1498 (211) S McNabney, 750kg £1567 (209) 710kg £1483 (209) A Rocke, 2x 700kg £1456 (208) S McNabney, 690kg £1421 (206) 720kg £1476 (205) and A Rocke, 800kg £1600 (200) 680kg £1360 (200).

Friday 1st December 2023: Dairy cows - A good entry of dairy stock sold to £2100, leading prices as follows: Adams Farms, Cloughmills Friesian £2100, £2050 x2, W G Johnston, Ligoniel Holstein £2000, Adams Farms, Cloughmills Friesian £1980, W G Johnston, Ligoniel Holstein £1950, W Black, Aghadowey Friesian £1900, Adams Farms, Cloughmills Friesian £1880, K Craig, Ballyclare Friesian £1850, W Black, Aghadowey Friesian £1800, A W McCrea, Newtownstewart Holstein £1750, D Dodd, Saintfield Holstein £1700, W G Johnston, Ligoniel Holstein £1700 and W Black, Aghadowey Friesian £1700.

Suckler cows

A small show of sucklers sold to £2550 for an Aberdeen Angus bull G Gault. Doagh to £2400 for a Limousin cow bull calf from J Breen, Lurgan.

J Breen, Lurgan Limousin and bull calf £2400, Limousin and heifer calf £2020, W J and D Wallace, Ballymena Limousin and bull calf £1400, local farmer Stabiliser and bull calf £1350.

Calves

310 dropped calves again sold to a very steady trade. Bull calves sold to £600, heifers to £650 and Friesian bulls to £270.

Bulls

Local farmer Blonde d'Aquitaine £600, Belgian Blue £590, Charolais £590, J Gaston, Dunloy Aberdeen Angus £565, local farmer Aberdeen Angus £550, local farmer Charolais £530, P Stuart, Bangor Charolais £525, local farmer Limousin £510, Aberdeen Angus £510, J Mills, Kilwaughter Hereford £500, T Herbinson, Randalstown Charolais £500, local farmer Aberdeen Angus £500, £490, local farmer Limousin £470, J Gaston, Dunloy Aberdeen Angus £470 and J Mills, Kilwaughter Hereford £450.

Heifers

I M McCracken, Greyabbey Per £650, local farmer Charolais £580, Limousin £555, £500, W J and D Wallace, Ballymena Limousin £500, S G Leslie, Claudy Simmental £460, W Warwick, Moorfields Belgian Blue £440, W Gillespie, Portglenone Charolais £440, local farmer Charolais £400, W Warwick, Moorfields Hereford £400 x3, local farmer Limousin £390, H Dorman, Lisburn Holstein £370 and R Bingham, Nutt's Corner Charolais £370 x2.

Holstein/Friesian bull calves

P Mairs, Comber Friesian £270 x7, J McCann, Bangor Holstein £250, N Hunter, Garvagh Friesian £230, P Mairs, Comber Friesian £175 x2 and A Bowden, Greyabbey Friesian £170.

Weanlings

A great entry of 370 weanlings in Ballymena on Friday resulted in another super trade. Bullocks sold to £990 over for a Charolais 350kg at £1340 presented by Nigel Jordan, Moneymore.

Heifers sold to £1220 over for a Limousin 340kg at £1560 offered by Stuart Hall, Larne.

Bullocks

0kg to 300kg

P Kennedy, Ballymena Charolais 260kg £1080 (415) D Kennedy, Limousin 220kg £880 (400) M Henderson-Neill, Charolais 230kg £850 (369) A Lowry, Crumlin Charolais 290kg £1040 (358) M Henderson-Neill, Charolais 270kg £940 (348) N Jordan, Limousin 290kg £1000 (344) M Montgomery, Kells Charolais 280kg £960 (342) P and C Connon, Charolais 270kg £910 (337) A Christie, Ballymoney Limousin 300kg £1010 (336) M Henderson-Neill, Charolais 280kg £940 (335) local farmer, Limousin 230kg £770 (334).

301kg to 350kg

N Jordan, Charolais 350kg £1340 (382) Charolais 310kg £1070 (345) local farmer, Charolais 310kg £1070 (345) S Wright, Carnlough Blonde d'Aquitaine 330kg £1130 (342) M Henderson- Neill, Limousin 310kg £1050 (338) P McAleese, Charolais 340kg £1150 (338) T McKillop, Glenarm Charolais 350kg £1180 (337) S Wright, Carnlough Blonde d'Aquitaine 310kg £1040 (335) S McCormick, Charolais 350kg £1170 (334) S Wright, Carnlough Blonde d'Aquitaine 320kg £1050 (328) S McCormick, Charolais 340kg £1110 (326) and S Wright, Blonde d'Aquitaine 320kg £1040 (325).

351kg over

K Molyneaux, Dundrod Charolais 370kg £1350 (364) N Jordan, Charolais 380kg £1350 (355) Charolais 360kg £1260 (350) Charolais 360kg £1250 (347) S McCormick, Charolais 410kg £1370 (334) Charolais 360kg £1200 (333) K Molyneaux, Charolais 390kg £1280 (328) N Jordan, Charolais 370kg £1210 (327) S McCormick, Charolais 380kg £1220 (321) K Molyneaux, Charolais 390kg £1240 (318) and W Bonnes, Randalstown Limousin 380kg £1200 (315).

Heifers

Up to 300kg

Local farmer Limousin 300kg £1300 (433), S Hall, Larne Limousin 300kg £1210 (403), P McAleese, Loughgiel Charolais 250kg £820 (328), N Jordan, Moneymore Limousin 290kg £950 (327), S Lowry, Glenavy Charolais 270kg £860 (318), E Hamilton, Moorfields Limousin 300kg £950 (316), T McKillop, Glenarm Charolais 300kg £950 (316), S Hall, Larne Limousin 300kg £950 (316), local farmer Limousin 280kg £880 (314), N Jordan, Moneymore Limousin 290kg £910 (313), McClurg and Millen, Dundrod Limousin 250kg £780 (312), S Lowry, Glenavy Charolais 300kg £925 (308), N Jordan, Moneymore Charolais 270kg £825 (305), A Lowry, Glenavy Charolais 300kg £900 (300) and A Christie, Ballymoney Simmental 290kg £870 (300).

301 to 350kg

S Hall, Larne Limousin 340kg £1560 (458), T McKillop, Glenarm Charolais 310kg £1180 (380), S Hall, Larne Charolais 330kg £1190 (360), local farmer Limousin 340kg £1220 (358), N Jordan, Moneymore Charolais 350kg £1160 (331), 310kg £1020 (329), local farmer Limousin 330kg £1030 (312), J McMordie, Moorfields Charolais 310kg £960 (309), P McAleese, Loughgiel Charolais 310kg £940 (303), N Jordan, Moneymore Charolais 320kg £970 (303), A Christie, Ballymoney Limousin 340kg £1030 (302), N Jordan, Moneymore Charolais 350kg £1040 (297), S McCormick, Martinstown Limousin 320kg £950 (296), Charolais 320kg £945 (295) and P McAleese, Loughgiel Charolais 340kg £995 (292).

Over 351kg

S Hall, Larne Limousin 360kg £1500 (416), R Evans, Randalstown Limousin 390kg £1260 (323), K Molyneaux, Dundrod Charolais 380kg £1090 (286), S McCormick, Martinstown Charolais 360kg £1020 (283), K Minford, Crumlin Limousin 430kg £1175 (273), 370kg £1010 (273), T McKillop, Glenarm Charolais 370kg £1010 (273), G Pearson, Randalstown Charolais 370kg £1000 (270), K Minford, Crumlin Limousin 440kg £1180 (268), 390kg £1045 (268), M Byrne, Randalstown Limousin 370kg £990 (267), S McCormick, Martinstown Charolais 360kg £960 (266), K Minford, Crumlin Limousin 410kg £1090 (265), S Molyneaux, Dundrod Limousin 410kg £1090 (265), A Rea, Finvoy Charolais 380kg £1010 (265) and K Minford, Crumlin Limousin 440kg £1145 (260).

Monday 4th December 2023: 700 sheep in Ballymena resulted in a steady trade store lambs to £104.50 and ewe lambs to £119.

Store lambs

J and D Watt, Ballymoney 5 Texel £104.50, P McAuley, Woodburn 27 Texel £91, V Rodgers, Cushendun, 15 Suffolk £91, I Campbell, Templepatrick 26 Texel 90.50, B Watt, 4 Texel £88, I Campbell, 26 Texel £86, W Stirling, Antrim 32 Texel £83, AM O’Neill, 25 Texel £82.50, GL Porter, Crumlin 17 Texel £80.50, C Calvert, Crumlin 1 Texel £80.50, S White, Cloughmills 12 Texel 80.50, J Patterson, Carrickfergus 21 Texel £80, C Bergin, Cushendall 48 Charollais £76, B Watt, 9 Texel £75.50 W Stirling, Antrim 14 Texel £75.50 and P McMullan, 5 Texel £75.

Tuesday 5th December 2023: Store cattle - An entry of 200 store cattle in Ballymena resulted in a super trade.

Bullocks sold to £1070 over for a Simmental 580kg at £1650 presented by J McHenry, Ballinderry.

Heifers sold to £990 over for a Charolais 520kg at £1510 also offered by J McHenry.

Bullocks

0kg to 500kg

S Collins, Lisburn Limousin 460kg £1440 (313) Simmental 470kg £1470 (312) Charolais 500kg £1530 (306) J and G Hamilton, Broughshane Belgian Blue 440kg £1340 (304) S Collins, Limousin 480kg £1450 (302) Limousin 490kg £1460 (298) Limousin 500kg £1470 (294) Simmental 480kg £1400 (291) Limousin 450kg £1310 (291) E Logan, Ahoghill Limousin 500kg £1450 (290) Limousin 420kg £1200 (285) S Collins, Limousin 470kg £1330 (283) Limousin 480kg £1330 (277) L McCombe, Ballymena 430kg £1180 (274) and S Collins, Limousin 500kg £1360 (272) Simmental 420kg £1140 (271)

501kg over

J McHenry, Charolais 550kg £1610 (292) S Collins, Lisburn Simmental 520kg £1520 (292) J McHenry, Charolais 530kg £1520 (286) Simmental 580kg £1650 (284) KD Reid, Craigavon Charolais 520kg £1450 (278) S Collins, Sal 520kg £1430 (275) E logan, Limousin 520kg £1420 (273) B Smyth, Charolais 590kg £1600 (271) E Logan, Limousin 510kg £1360 (266) Limousin 510kg £1360 (266) B Smyth, Charolais 570kg £1520 (266) local farmer, Charolais 550kg £1460 (265) L Park, Ballynure Hereford 560kg £1475 (263) and E Logan, Limousin 570kg £1490 (261).

Heifers

0kg to 500kg

D Thompson, Bushmills Limousin 460kg £1370 (297) D Wylie, Ballymena Limousin 300kg £880 (293) Charolais 300kg £880 (293) 4x Charolais 280kg £820 (292) A McNeilly, Limousin 500kg £1450 (290) D Thompson, Limousin 350kg £1010 (288) J McHenry, Limousin 480kg £1350 (281) D Thompson, Limousin 430kg £1190 (276) D Wylie, 2x Charolais 260kg £710 (273) A Thompson, Limousin 400kg £1090 (272) SG Hanna, Cullybackey Limousin 490kg £1330 (271) and J McHenry, Charolais 470kg £1270 (270).

501kg over

J McHenry, Charolais 520kg £1510 (290) Charolais 510kg £1470 (288) J and M Crawford, Glarryford Charolais 540kg £1510 (279) M McConkey, Larne Simmental 530kg £1430 (269) SG Hanna, Cullybackey Limousin 520kg £1370 (263) J and M Crawford, Abondance 580kg £1500 (258) B Smyth, Charolais 530kg £1370 (258) Charolais 520kg £1340 (257) K Steele, Larne Belgian Blue 570kg £1440 (252) K Bacon, Abondance 560kg £1400 (250) K Steele, Belgian Blue 520kg £1300 (250) RJ and G McCullough, 2x Belgian Blue 580kg £1440 (248) Belgian Blue 520kg £1290 (248) K Bacon, Abondance 550kg £1360 (247) and K Steele, Belgian Blue 530kg £1300 (245).

Wednesday 6th December 2023: An entry of 2663 sheep in Ballymena on Wednesday resulted in a sharper trade.

Fat lambs sold to 514p for a pen of 6 Beltex 25kg at £128.50 offered by William Porter, Maghera and to a top per head of £130 for 7 Texels 26.5kg from Byran Gardiner, Ballymena.

Fat lambs (2157)

Top per kg

W Porter, Maghera Beltex 25kg £128.50 (514) B Gardiner, Ballymena 23.5kg £119 (506) J Lamont, Kells 16 Crossbred 24kg £121.50 (506) J Fenton, Glarryford 13 Texel 20kg £100 (502) W Patton, 29 Texel 22.5kg £113 (502) J McFall, Broughshane 6 Texel 23.5kg £118 (502) G Warwick, Moorfields 8 Texel 23.5kg £118 (502) J McDonnell, Glenarm 16 Texel 24kg £120 (500) RJ McKay, Carnlough 14 Suffolk 23kg £115 (500) G Martin, Broughshane 22 Texel 24kg £120 (500) B Lyttle, 21 Texel 22.5kg £112.50 (500) M and R Simpson, Broughshane 10 Texel 22kg £110 (500) R Hunter, Larne 4 Texel 23kg £115 (500) A Millar, Antrim 31 Texel 24kg £120 (500) J McFall, Broughshane 7 Texel 22kg £110 (500) B Gaston, Ballymena 12 Texel 22.5kg £112 (497) St Kennedy, 41 Crossbred 21kg £104.50 (497) A Millar, Antrim 27 Suffolk 23kg £114 (495) JM and CD Mark, Limavady 22 Suffolk 22.5kg £111 (495) T M Montgomery, Broughshane 12 Cha 22kg £109 (495) PJ Kane, Ballycastle 4 Texel 22kg £109 (495) S Kerr, Kilwaughter 23.5kg £116 (493) D Waide, 13 Texel 22.5kg £111 (493) D Waide, 13 Texel 22.5kg £111 (493) P Crothers, Ballynure 15 Texel 24kg £118 (491) and S Patterson, 20 Suffolk 23kg £113 (491).

Top per head

B Gardiner, Ballymena 7 Texel 26.5kg £130, W Porter, 6 Rouge 25kg £128.50, J Hutchinson, 1 Crossbred 36.5kg £127, W Dodds, Glenwherry 2 Texel 28kg £125, J Sossick, 14 Texel 27kg £124, S Loughery, Limavady 2 Texel 28.5kg £124, A Houston, Lisburn 38 Texel 26.5kg £123, S White, Cloughmills 16 Texel 25.5kg £123, D Smyth, Moorefields 2 Suffolk 26kg £122.50, D and I Dunlop, Glarryford 40 Texel 25.5kg £122, S Marshall, Ballymena 25 Texel 25.5kg £122, AT Lowry, 20 Texel 26kg £122, N Boyd, Broughshane 12 Crossbred 25.5kg £122, S Loughery, 2 Mule 29kg £122, J Loughridge, Armoy 2 Mule 28kg £122, B Gardiner, 8 Texel 25kg £122, J Lamont, Kells 16 Crossbred 24kg £121.50, I and C Hunter, Straid 34 Texel 25.5kg £121.50, A McIlveen, Kells 8 Suffolk 25kg £121, N Boyd, 9 Crossbred 27.5kg £121, N Brown, 15 Suffolk 25kg £121, J Loughridge, 2 Texel 25kg £121, Suffolk 25.5kg £121, G Millar, 10 Texel 25kg £121 and D Gaston, Carnlough 17 Texel 24.5kg £120.

Fat ewes (505)

First quality

Suffolk - £100 - £130

Texel - £100 - £132

Crossbred - £80 - £110

Blackface - £50 - £60