Spring spectacular sale time

Sponsor Seamus McCormick of Danske Bank - Agri Business Manager Ballymena Branch with Stephen and Sandra Gowdy from Carrickfergus and Jeremy Paynter from NI Charolais Club)

A total of 49 pedigree Charolais bulls and seven pedigree heifers’ entries have been received from vendors across Northern Ireland.

All animals will be veterinary inspected on the morning of the sale and sold under the National Beef Association Warranty.

The NICCS is inviting customers to invest in a Charolais, introducing a new incentive for buyers - £300 going to the buyer of the top price of the day, with next six top prices getting £200 towards their purchase.

Husband and wife team Stephen and Sandra Gowdy run three Charolais bulls on their herd of over 200 crossbred Limousin and Belgium Blue cows overlooking Carrickfergus and Belfast lough. The Gowdys have been successful winning the NI Charolais Suckler Herd Competition within Antrim for four consecutive years.

Charolais cattle command top prices for weanling calves, with the Gowdys selling the majority of their top quality calves at home and the remainder at Ballymena Livestock Market averaging 300 kilos at over £3 PPK.

Commercial producers are clearly seeing the advantage of purchasing Charolais bulls for top prices and easy calving genetics that the sire offers.

Customers can either contact the mart office to register or go directly to www.ballymenalivestockmarket.com to register.

Further details are available from the mart office Tel. 028 2563 3470.

A huge thank you must go to event sponsor Danske Bank, who very kindly sponsored the spring spectacular sale held in the new venue of Ballymena Livestock Market.