Blues on a roll to Dungannon

British blue breeders are on a roll following their successes at the Royal Ulster Beef and Lamb Championships plus mart topping prices nationwide for blue sired calves.
By The Newsroom
Published 6th Apr 2021, 08:34 BST
One of the White bulls forward for the British Blue sale in Dungannon on Easter Tuesday, April 6 is Chatham Oskar from the Morrison family at Armoy.One of the White bulls forward for the British Blue sale in Dungannon on Easter Tuesday, April 6 is Chatham Oskar from the Morrison family at Armoy.
One of the White bulls forward for the British Blue sale in Dungannon on Easter Tuesday, April 6 is Chatham Oskar from the Morrison family at Armoy.

All this is auguring well for the BBCS Sale in Dungannon Farmers’ Mart on Easter Tuesday, April 6 when the ultimate beef terminal sire joins in a multi breed sale with Simmental, Blonde, Saler and Charolais entries.

Over 30 bulls and a handful of females go on view that morning for an hour from 10.30am, followed by auction action from noon as Trevor Wylie takes to the rostrum.

Intending buyers, in person or on line, must register with Dungannon Farmers’ Mart, tel; (028) 8772 2727 no later than 4pm on Good Friday, April 2.

Chatham Orion has the looks and the figures to impress bidders in Dungannon on Easter Tuesday during the British Blue Cattle Society spring sale.Chatham Orion has the looks and the figures to impress bidders in Dungannon on Easter Tuesday during the British Blue Cattle Society spring sale.
Chatham Orion has the looks and the figures to impress bidders in Dungannon on Easter Tuesday during the British Blue Cattle Society spring sale.

In the interests of public safety this is a Covid compliant venue with masks worn and a socially distanced gallery of buyers.

Back at Balmoral before Christmas the Royal Ulster Beef event was memorable as British Blues took the three main championships with sale records smashed.

The Supreme Champion, a 754kg British Blue steer exhibited by Derek and Alan McCrea from Bready made £6,100 paid by judge Anthony Kitson, Crathorne, North Yorkshire.

Another Blue, a cracking 774kg heifer, shown by Dermot Small and Blair Dufton was Reserve Supreme and made £9200 heading south to Tatreeta Farms, Dundalk.

Weighing 642kgs the Breeding Heifer Champion forwarded by James Alexander, Randalstown sold at £7100 to Pat Grant from Newry.

Yet these three toppers from the Blues were no flash in the pan.

A glance through sale reports in the farming press, week in week out, reveal Blue bred stock are toppers.

And at the factories Blue breeding is consistently the route to higher grades out of suckler and dairy herds alike.

Indeed White bulls from the British Blue are now in tight supply as much needed by dairy farmers to run with Holstein Friesians after spring turnout.

A high percentage of milk producers benefit from using straws of premium Blue bulls from AI companies, but bulls on the ground are still needed.

The question is clear. Why not put a suckler or dairy cow to the ultimate beef bull and maximise the sale value of every calf, store and finished beast you sell?

Browse www.britishblue.org for more details of the breed that puts beef on the crossbred and a bonus in your back pocket!

And do register as a bidder on tel; (028) 8772 2727.

Related topics:Blues