Champion leads Dungannon dairy line-up at 3,700gns
Demand for dairy cattle remained steady at the monthly sale conducted by Taaffe Auctions at Dungannon Farmers’ Mart.
Milking heifers sold to a top of 3,700gns, cows reached a ceiling of 3,050gns, bulls sold to 2,450gns and youngstock peaked at 2,100gns.
Dungannon remains a one-stop shop for top-quality pedigree and commercial cattle to suit all systems.
“The champion is modern heifer with a good topline and a super udder.”
Topping trade at 3,700gns during the March show and sale was the fresh calved heifer, Simlahill Lambda Georgina 3 PLI £178 bred by Jim and Nicholas McCann, Bangor.
She caught the eye of pre-sale show judge, Chris Coote from the 250-cow Beechlodge Herd at Dungannon, to win the supreme championship award generously sponsored by Kersia.
“The champion is modern heifer with a good topline and a super udder. She is strong from front to back and has all the promise of a real cow maker,” commented the Mr Coote.
Sired by Farnear Delta Lambda, this heifer is a potential fifth generation VG/EX.
Her dam, Simlahill Dempsey Georgina VG87 averaged 11,122kgs at 4.00 per cent butterfat and 3.38 per cent in two 305-day lactations.
The day’s second highest bid of 3,400gns was paid to Ronald McLean and Sons, Dungannon, for Relough Cosmo Danna 5 PLI £489. A potential fifteenth generation VG/EX, she was sired by Wiltor Cosmo, and is bred from Relough Leap Danna 2 ET VG86 who yielded 11,020kgs at 3.79 per cent butterfat and 3.64 per cent protein in her second lactation.
Wilson and Andrew Patton, Newtownards, realised 3,250gns for the ABS Crimson daughter, Ards Crimson Fame PLI £433. This fresh calved heifer was bred from Ards Atrium Fame VG88, and comes from nine generations of VG and EX dams.
Next best a 3,100gns was Modelfarm Lightyear Delight PLI £401 bred by Agnew Bros from Caledon.
A OCD Yoda Lightyear daughter, her dam was Modelfarm Mixer Delight who averaged 3.29 per cent butterfat and 3.27 per cent protein in her second 305-day lactation.
Holstein NI chairman Paul Dunn, Bangor, sold the honourable mention award winner Dunbanard Taos Trazzled PLI £416 for 3,050gns.
This fresh calved heifer is a daughter of Leaninghouse Taos, and is bred from ALH Trazzled ET EX who averaged 9,134 at 4.72 per cent butterfat and 3.11 per cent protein in five lactations.
Two lots came under the hammer at 3,000gns each.
First to sell was Philip and Simon Haffey’s Glasson Sizzler F Rosina PLI £263. Sired by Denovo Sizzler, and bred from Glasson Fitz A Rosina VG, she is bred from eight generations of VG and EX dams.
Also selling at 3,000gns was Modelfarm Orthild Olive PLI £308 bred by Agnew Bros.
Sired by Dotti Medley Orthild, her dam was Modelfarm Damian Olive 2.
Cows peaked at 3,050gns, paid to the McLean family for their reserve overall champion Relough King Doc Holly GP83 PLI £294. This second calver is a daughter of Woodcrest King Doc.
She gave 9,277kgs at 3.81 per cent butterfat and 3.08 per cent protein in her heifer lactation.
Judge Chris Coote added: “The reserve champion is youthful second calver.
“She is medium-sized, displays great chest width and a well attached udder.”
The McLean family sold the fourth placed cow Relough Darbee Amy VG86 PLI £270 for 2,800gns.
Now in her third lactation, she is by Cal-Roy-Al Darbee, and is bred from Relough MVP Amy 2 EX LP60. This one is a potential seventh generation EX.
Mark and William Truesdale, Newcastle, sold the October 2023 bull Castletru Ronald Red PLI £312 for 2,450gns.
Sired by April Day McDonald P Red, he is out of the home-bred Castletru Luster P Loal VG88-3yr.
A special consignment of maiden and heifer calves from George and Jason Booth’s Beechview Herd, Stewartstown, topped at 2,100gns.
Their sale leader was the potential tenth generation VG/EX pedigree Brown Swiss heifer, Beechview Omalley Snickerdood PLI £258.
This ten-month-old calf was sired by O Malley, and was bred from Beechview Dynamite Snickerdoodle VG who averaged 8,544kgs at 4.22 per cent butterfat and 3.73 per cent protein in three lactations.
The eight-month-old polled heifer Beechview Orthild Cosmopolitan PLI £363 sold for 1,400gns.
A potential fourth generation EX, she was sired by Dotti Medley Orthild, and is out of Beechview Modesty P Cosmopolitain EX92-4E LP60.
Following close behind at 1,300gns was Beechview Rubels Lalita Red PLI £271.
This six-month-old Hoogerhorst DG OH Rubels Red daughter was bred from Beechview Rager Lalita Red VG88.
An entry of maiden and heifer calves from David McClurg’s Fortvale herd, Crossgar, sold to a top 1,750gns, realised by Fortvale Tricky Vaakje *RC PLI £394.
This six-month-old heifer is a potential 13th generation VG/EX.
An RJW Tricky Red daughter, she was bred from Fortvale Rubels Vaakje VG89.
Next best at 1,120gns was Fortvale Rubels Sara Red 2 PLI £252. This eleven-month-old heifer is by Hoogerhorst DG OH Rubels Red, and bred from Fortvale Arbor Sara Red VG88.
Prize winners include:
Heifer in-milk
1. and champion, Jim and Nicholas McCann, Simlahill Lambda Georgina 3 PLI £178 by Farnear Delta Lambda;
2. and honourable mention, Paul Dunn, Dunbanard Taos Trazzled PLI £416 by Leaninghouse Taos;
3. R McLean and Sons, Relough King Doc Roxie PLI £391 by Woodcrest King Dock;
4. S and A McKenna, Beechview Rolex Gemma PLI £225 by Valiant Mitchell Rolex.
Cow in-milk
1. and reserve champion, R McLean and Sons, Relough King Doc Holly PLI £294 by Woodcrest King Doc;
2. R McLean and Sons, Relough Rubels Malina Red 3 VG87 PLI £340 by Hoogerhorst DG OH Rubels Red;
3. Mark and William Truesdale, Castletru Rager Fay PLI £262by Ri-Val-Re Rager Red;
4. R McLean and Sons, Relough Darbee Amy VG86 PLI £270.
"The reserve champion displays great chest width and a well attached udder.”