Breeding bulls selling well at Ballymena Mart, prices to £3200 for an Aberdeen Angus bull

Friesian cows sold to 190p for a 660kg at £1254, beef heifers sold to 292p for a 720kg at £2102 and beef bullocks sold to 306p for a 770kg at £2356.

Beef cows

B Taggart, Armoy Limousin 740kg £1983 (268) S Higgins, Limousin 680kg £1754 (258) T Wray, Carnlough Limousin 720kg £1778 (247) Limousin 720kg £1706 (237) R Forsythe, Blonde d'Aquitaine 840kg £1965 (234) AJ Wilson, Ballymena Limousin 730kg £1686 (231) DT Harbinson, Limousin Charolais 650kg £1501 (231) R Shaw, Ballymena Charolais 560kg £1288 (230) Limousin 670kg £1527 (228) T Wray, Carnlough Limousin 650kg £1449 (223) local farmer, Saler 790kg £1738 (220) B McComb, Charolais 530kg £1123 (212) R Shaw, Ballymena Limousin 740kg £1568 (212) J McGerrigle, Charolais 530kg £1123 (212) and C and E White, Limousin 720kg £1519 (211) Limousin 580kg £1206 (208).

Friesian cows

C Moody, Bushmills 690kg £1262 (183) W and H J Nicholl, Ahoghill 680kg £1169 (172) C Moody, 760kg £1276 (168) D Clark, Antrim 650kg £1066 (164) R Rowe, Armoy 630kg £1001 (159) D Steele, 690kg £1090 (158) K Craig, Ballyclare 670kg £1058 (158) SA Milligan, 730kg £1124 (154) K Craig, Ballyclare 610kg £915 (150) E Steele, 590kg £879 (149) J Hamilton, Broughshane 630kg £926 (147) A Lamont, 640kg £940 (147) J Hamilton, 720kg £1051 (146) J and M Wilson, 700kg £1022 (146) and V Turtle, Ahoghill 700kg £1008 (144).

Beef heifers

A Ferguson, Limousin 720kg £2102 (292) G Hagan, Charolais 620kg £1798 (290) S Higgins, Limousin 660kg £1914 (290) Limousin 750kg £2092 (279) R McNabney, Limousin 600kg £1668 (278) J O’Rawe, Charolais 570kg £1573 (276) J Forsythe, Limousin 560kg £1528 (273) S Calvin, Charolais 740kg £2012 (272) J O’Rawe, Gracehill Charolais 630kg £1707 (271) J Forsythe, Stabiliser 570kg £1544 (271) B McComb, Charolais 560kg £1512 (270) J Forsythe, Limousin 500kg £1335 (267) J O’Rawe, Charolais 580kg £1542 (266) Charolais 610kg £1610 (264) S Calvin, Charolais 690kg £1821 (264) and J Forsythe, Limousin 570kg £1504 (264).

Beef bullocks

D Grimes, Simmental 770kg £2356 (306) CW Bell, Ballynahinch Belgian Blue 700kg £2100 (300) LM O’Neill, Dungannon Charolais 830kg £2481 (299) J McDevitt, Limavady Charolais 740kg £2212 (299) D Grimes, Charolais 6870kg £2026 (298) Charolais 670kg £1989 (297) R McIvor, Simmental 610kg £1811 (297) Charolais 650kg £1930 (297) Blonde d'Aquitaine 640kg £1900 (297) A Ferguson, Limousin 720kg £2124 (295) R McIvor, Parthenais 650kg £1917 (295) S Kelly, Limousin 880kg £2587 (294) J Alexander, Ballygowan Limousin 660kg £1940 (294) G and S Walsh, Limousin 680kg £1999 (294) and M Farr, Lisburn Limousin 650kg £1904 (293).

Friday 22nd September 2023: Dairy cows – 39 dairy cattle met improved demand, selling to £2200 for a springing heifer from John Cameron, Broughshane.

J Cameron, Broughshane Friesian £2200, W G Johnston, Ligoniel Holstein £2150, B McStravick, Gawley Gate Holstein £2100, J Cameron, Broughshane Friesian £2100, W G Johnston, Ligoniel Holstein £2080, J Cameron, Broughshane Friesian £2080 x 2, J Suffern, Crumlin Ayrshire £2000, S Jamieson, Broughshane Holstein £2000, B McStravick, Gawleys Gate Holstein £1950, T J Gordon, Ballyclare Ayrshire £1920, R Stewart, Ballyclare Ayrshire £1900, J Cameron, Broughshane Friesian £1900 x 2, J Suffern, Crumlin Ayrshire £1820 and R Stewart, Ballyclare Ayrshire £1800.

Suckler cows – 45 lots in the suckler ring sold to £2400 for a Belgian Blue cow with bull calf at foot.

B Paisley, Ballynure Belgian Blue and bull calf £2400, Limousin and bull calf £2400, £2320, I Gilmore, Lisburn Limousin and heifer calf £2280, C McIlwaine, Newtownstewart Simmental £2120, £2000, E Gillan, Ballymena Charolais and heifer calf £2000, Belgian Blue and bull calf £1980, I Gilmore, Lisburn Aberdeen Angus and heifer calf £1980, C McIlwaine, Newtownstewart Simmental £1950, I Gilmore, Lisburn Aberdeen Angus and heifer calf £1880, Charolais and heifer calf £1880, Simmental and bull calf £1880, Limousin and bull calf £1850, E Gillan, Ballymena Saler and bull calf £1780 and I Gilmore, Lisburn Simmental and bull calf £1750.

Bulls

14 breeding bulls sold well to £3200 for an Aberdeen Angus, Friesian bulls to £2950.

M Clements, Ballyronan Aberdeen Angus £3200, £3000, W Black, Aghadowey Friesian £2950, £2800, A Mitchell, Donacloney Aberdeen Angus £2650, £2600 and M Clements, Ballyronan Aberdeen Angus £2500 x 2, £2400, £2350, £2300 x 2.

Calves

263 lots in the calf ring sold to £675 for a two month old Charolais bull, heifers calves to £560 for a partly reared Herefords.

Bull calves

B Laverty, Armoy Charolais £675, Ganaway Farms, Charolais £500, WT Robinson, Glenarm Belgian Blue £490, B Alexander, Charolais £490, J Watt, Templepatrick Belgian Blue £490, Ganaway Farms, Simmental £465, Charolais £460, A Dunn, Limousin £460, J Watt, Simmental £460, WT Robinson, Glenarm Abondance £455, J Stirling, Simmental £455, J Watt, Belgian Blue £455 and M Barr, Ballyclare Abondance £455.

Heifer calves

N Callaghan, Coleraine 3 x Hereford £560, S Gregg, Glarryford Charolais £490, N Callaghan, Limousin £490, G and A M Patton, 2 x Charolais £490, Ganaway Farms, Simmental £480, Simmental £475, Charolais £470, W Hoey, 3 x Friesian £470, Ganaway Farms, Shorthorn beef £450 and W Hoey, Friesian £440.

Friesian bulls

J Lindsay, Belfast £360, £320, GN Andrews, Newry £315, J Linday, £300, £295, GT and RJ Smyth, £270, F McAuley, Toomebridge £265, J Lindsay, 2 x £265, £235, RW Kane, Ballycastle £235 and F McAuley, 3 x £185.

Weanlings

An entry of 400 weanlings in Ballymena on Friday resulted in another terrific trade.

Heifers sold to £810 over for a Limousin 400kg at £1210 presented by Robert Gault, Ballyclare.

Bullocks sold to £910 over for a Charolais 300kg £1210 offered by C Mc Donnell, Ballycastle.

Bullocks

0kg to 300kg

C McDonnell, Ballycastle Charolais 300kg £1210 (403); I McIveen, Kells Limousin 220kg 2 x Limousin £885 (402); 2 x Limousin 240kg £960 (400); C McDonnell, Charolais 300kg £1200 (400) Charolais 300kg £1180 (393); DJ McFerran, Ballymena Charolais 200kg £780 (390) and I McIlveen, 2 x Limousin 290kg £1110 (382).

301kg to 350kg

H Hall, Newtownabbey Charolais 330kg £1180 (357) Charolais 340kg £1200 (352) S McNamara, Portaferry Charolais 320kg £1120 (350); S Montford, Charolais 310kg £1080 (348); D McKillop, Limousin 340kg £1170 (344); S Montford, Charolais 330kg £1050 (318) S McNamara, Charolais 330kg £1040 (315); C Magill, Larne 340kg £1040 (305); R McNabney, Broughshane Limousin 350kg £1060 (302) and J and D Colgan, Ballycastle Limousin 310kg £935 (301).

351kg and over

C McDonnell, Ballycastle Charolais 360kg £1250 (347); C Magill, Larne Limousin 360kg £1245 (345); S Hall, Larne Charolais 370kg £1260 (340); R Gault, Ballyclare Limousin 380kg £1250 (329); S Hall, Limousin 370kg £1215 (328); R McMullan, Limousin 360kg £1180 (327); H Hall, Limousin 380kg £1225 (322); R Gault, Charolais 410kg £1300 (317) and T Wray, Carnlough 2 x Charolais 410kg £1290 (314).

Heifers

0kg to 300kg

DJ McFerran, Limousin 190kg £700 (368); I McIlveen, Kells 2 x Limousin 270kg £915 (338); DJ McFerran, Dunloy 2 x Limousin and 4 x Charolais 250kg £780 (312) and JA McMullan, Glenarm Limousin 180kg £560 (311).

301kg to 350kg

S Hall, Larne Charolais 310kg £1010 (325) Charolais 350kg £1090 (311) Charolais 310kg £940 (303); E McGarry, Broughshane Charolais 350kg £1050 (300); S Hall, Larne Charolais 330kg £970 (293); D McKillop, Limousin 310kg £900 (290); J and D Colgan, Ballycastle Limousin 340kg £915 (269); P McConnell, Belfast Limousin 350kg £940 (268) and Thornfield Farm, Belgian Blue 340kg £910 (267).

351kg and over

M Foster, Kells Charolais 360kg £1140 (316); C Magill, Larne Limousin 370kg £1140 (308) R Gault, Limousin 400kg £1210 (302); M Foster, Limousin 390kg £1170 (300); C Magill, Charolais 410kg £1200 (292); M Foster, Limousin 400kg £1160 (290) Charolais 380kg £1090 (286); P McConnell, Limousin 380kg £1080 (284); W Moore, Ballycarry Limousin 420kg £1185 (282); P McConnell, Limousin 360kg £1010 (280) and M Foster, Limousin 440kg £1215 (276).

Monday 25th September 2023: Breeding ewes and hoggets - Local farmer 10 Suffolk £220, W S McConnell, Ballyclare 10 Texel £202, 10 Texel £200, local farmer 6 Suffolk £200, A Morrison, Ballynure 3 Mule £198, local farmer 6 Suffolk £195, W Mackey, Crumlin 10 Mule £190, W Lowry, Comber 9 Suffolk £190, L George, Nutt's Corner 4 Texel £188, H George, Nutt's Corner 6 Mule £188, I McCluggage, Glarryford 11 Suffolk cross £185, A Scott, Templepatrick 8 Mule £185, W Lowry, Comber 9 Suffolk £185, L George, Nutt's Corner 4 Texel £185, B George, Nutt's Corner 11 Texel £185, L George, Nutt's Corner 6 Mule £182, local farmer 8 Mule £178, S McNeilly, Ballyclare 3 Texel £178, K McErlain, Armoy 4 Mule £175, I McCluggage, Glarryford 10 Suffolk X £175, J Thompson, Bushmills 6 Texel £170, J Hurl, Carnlough 4 Mil £170, W Jones, Templepatrick 2 Texel £170 and I Rossborough, Claudy 3 Texel £170.

Store lambs

D McAuley, Ballyclare 1 Mil £105, 17 Texel £100, R J McKay, Carnlough 50 Suffolk £95, R J D Topping, Islandmagee 16 Texel £94.50, D McClintock, Broughshane 8 Texel £94, A Magee, Kilwaughter 36 Texel £94, J and M Donaghy, Limavady 25 Texel £93.50, R McKeown, Broughshane 6 Cheviot £93.50, D Davidson, Ballymena 20 Suffolk £93, P Kelly, Ballycastle 61 Mule £92.50, A Magee, Kilwaughter 24 Texel £92.50, A Magee, Larne 22 Texel £92.50, A Purdy, Ballymoney 40 Suffolk £92, A Magee, Kilwaughter 25 Blu £92, A Purdy, Ballymoney 50 Texel £91, R Magee, Kilwaughter 30 Texel £91, J Connon, Ballymena 21 Crossbred £91, A Bonnar, Glenwherry 20 Charollais £90.50, S Beattie, Ballyclare 20 Charollais £90.50, O Duffin, Cargan 29 Texel £90.50, M Millar, Carrickfergus 45 Texel £90.50, R M Carson, Islandmagee 4 Charollais £90.50, J Stewart, Nutt's Corner 22 Texel £90, A Bonnar, Glenwherry 21 Charollais £90 and P Brown, Ballycastle 40 Suffolk £90.

Ewe lambs

I Rea, Newtownabbey 10 Texel £132 x 2, S Boyle, Carrickfergus 10 Suffolk £132, I Rea, Newtownabbey 10 Texel £130 x 2, S Boyle, Carrickfergus 10 Suffolk £130, local farmer 12 Mule £122, I J and A Wilson, Islandmagee 11 Suffolk £120, local farmer 12 Mule £120, 10 Mule £115, M Gingles, Kilwaughter 12 Mule £115 x 2 and W Campbell, Carnlough 6 Mil £110.

Tuesday 26th September 2023: A sale of 450 store cattle in Ballymena resulted in a great trade.

Heifers sold to £1050 over for a Limousin 590kg at £1640 presented by Matthews Brothers, Glenarm.

Bullocks sold to £1200 over for a Charolais 590kg at £1790 presented by J McMurran, Ballycarry.

Heifers

Up to 500kg

D Gilliland, Ballymena Limousin 400kg £1280 (320), J Hall, Islandmagee Charolais 420kg £1250 (297), D Gilliland, Ballymena Limousin 230kg £680 (295), 410kg £1210 (295), B Black, Carnlough Charolais 500kg £1420 (284), S Marshall, Ballymena Charolais 410kg £1160 (282), J Hall, Islandmagee Charolais 350kg £990 (282), D Gilliland, Ballymena Limousin 450kg £1270 (282), 430kg £1210 (281), J Hall, Islandmagee Limousin 310kg £860 (277), S Marshall, Ballymena Charolais 440kg £1190 (270), 500kg £1350 (270), B Black, Carnlough Charolais 450kg £1210 (268) and S Marshall, Ballymena Charolais 410kg £1100 (268).

Over 500kg

Matthews Brothers, Glenarm Limousin 590kg £1640 (278), B Black, Carnlough Charolais 550kg £1450 (263), 560kg £1465 (261), A McCartney, Nutt's Corner Charolais 520kg £1360 (261), B Black, Carnlough Charolais 520kg £1360 (261), J Stewart, Templepatrick Belgian Blue 530kg £1380 (260), D McAlonan, Dunloy Limousin 520kg £1350 (259), J Stewart, Templepatrick Charolais 520kg £1340 (257), B Black, Carnlough Charolais 570kg £1450 (254), J Wightman, Bangor Charolais 600kg £1410 (235), B Black, Carnlough Simmental 520kg £1220 (234), J W Ferris, Ballynure Saler 560kg £1310 (233), B Black, Carnlough Charolais 560kg £1300 (232) and J Stewart, Templepatrick Belgian Blue 510kg £1180 (231).

Bullocks

0kg to 500kg

Reps of M Workman, Kilwaughter Charolais 480kg £1590 (313) R Workman, Kilwaughter Charolais 460kg £1460 (317) P McCloskey, Toomebridge Limousin 490kg £1550 (316) J McMurran, Ballycarry Limousin £1450 (315) R Workman, Limousin 470kg £1470 (312) S Patterson, Limousin 460kg £1420 (308) R Workman, Charolais 470kg £1450 (308) JH Quigley, Charolais 490kg £1510 (308) Limousin 490kg £1480 (302) S Patterson, Carrickfergus Limousin 500kg £1490 (298) R Workman, Charolais 480kg £1430 (297) J McMurran, Ballycarry Limousin 500kg £1480 (296) P McCloskey, Toomebridge Limousin 490kg £1450 (295) S Patterson, Limousin 500kg £1470 (294) and M Workman, Charolais 480kg £1400 (291).

500kg and over

J McMurran, Ballycarry Limousin 540kg £1760 (325) Limousin 510kg £1600 (313) J Blair, Cullybackey Charolais 510kg £1580 (309) T Moorhead, Charolais 510kg £1570 (307) J McMurran, Charolais 590kg £1790 (303) J Blair, Charolais 520kg £1570 (301) P McCloskey, Limousin 530kg £1590 (300) T Moorhead, Charolais 560kg £1680 (300) J McMurran, Limousin 550kg £1650 (300) J Blair, Limousin 520kg £1550 (298) T Moorhead, Blonde d'Aquitaine 560kg £1660 (296) Charolais 540kg £1590 (294) J McMurran, Limousin 520kg £1520 (292) Limousin 570kg £1660 (291) JH Quigley, Charolais 530kg £1530 (288) and J McMurran, Limousin 580kg £1640 (282).

Wednesday 27th September 2023: An entry of 2745 sheep presented in Ballymena on Wednesday resulted in a good trade.

Fat lambs sold to 507p for 25 Texel 19.5kg at £99 presented by Hugh McNeill, Ballygally and to a top per head of £125 for a single heavy Texel offered by Felix McKendry.

Fat lambs

Top per kg

H McNeill, Ballygalley 25 Texel 19.5kg £99 (507) D McIlwaine, Glenwherry 2 Texel 20.5kg £102.50 (500) F McKendry, Broughshane 17 Texel 23kg £114.50 (497) M Warnock, Limavady 4 Texel 22kg £109.50 (497) J A O’Kane 30 Texel 19.5kg £97 (497) D McIlwaine, 3 Texel 19kg £94.50 (497) J Houston, 7 Rouge 22kg £109 (495) T Gregg, Randalstown 2 Texel 21.5kg £106.50 (495) local farmer, Crossbred 19kg £94 (494) J Murray, Lurgan 14 Texel 21.5kg £106 (493) W and G Hanna, Ballymoney 15 Texel 20kg £98.50 (492) R Gingles, Larne 27 Texel 19.5kg £96 (492) G Martin, Broughshane 14 Texel 23kg £113 (491) L Finlay, 8 Texel 21kg £103 (490) J Murray, 28 Texel 15kg £73.50 (490) and M Moffett, Broughshane 9 Texel 22.5kg £110 (488).

Top per head

F McKendry, Broughshane 1 Texel 31kg £125, K Dobbin, Ballycastle 10 Crossbred 28kg £119, J Currie, 10 Crossbred 28kg £119, K Wilson, Broughshane 1 Texel 30.5kg £116, R McCartney, 5 Texel 25kg £116, JK Adams, Broughshane 16 Texel 25.5kg £115, J Hamilton, 40 Texel 26kg £115, S White, Cloughmills 24 Texel 26kg £115, J Farquhar, Ballymena 3 Dorset 25.5kg £115, T McKillop, Glenarm 5 Texel 26.5kg £115, H Curry, Coleraine 7 Texel 27kg £115, F McKendry, 17 Texel £114.50, RW Saunderson, 22 Charollais 26kg £114.50, S Hunter, 47 Suffolk 26.5kg £114.50, A Bell, Crumlin 12 Charollais 25.5kg £114.50 and Earls Abbey, 2 Texel 25.5kg £114.

Fat ewes (738)

Top quality

Crossbred - £80-£114

Texel- £125-£160

Suffolk - £100-£138

Blackface - £60-£90