Steady trade for beef cattle at Ballymena

Beef cows sold to 228p for a Char 95kg at £2166, Friesian cows to 159p 650kg at £1033. Beef heifers to 255p 820kg at 2091. Beef bullocks to 261p 740kg at £1931 top per head of £2147 for 880kg. Friesian bullocks to 183p 650kg at £1189.

Beef Cows: B McAllister, Kells char 950kg £2166 (228), D Agnew, Templepatrick Lim 650kg £1326 (204), R Savage, Drumahoe Lim 730kg £1489 (204), S Gillespie, Portglenone Bel 620kg £1221 (197), B McAllister, Kells Cha 870kg £1713 (197), T J McLornan, Nutts Corner Lim 670kg £1306 (195), F Ferguson, Lim 780kg £1521 9195). J Smyth Randalstown Lim 610kg £1171 (192).

Friesian Cows: J Campbell, Bushmills Hol 650kg £1033 (159), H Carson, Dundrod, Fri 620kg £911,I Stewart, Bushmills Hol 760kg £1056 (139), H Carson, Dundrod Fri 530kg £731 (138), Fri 610kg £829 (136), D Minford, Crumlin, Hol 800kg £1088 (136), S McCrystal Drumick Hol 760kg £1018 (134), R Lyttle, Larne Fri 740kg £984 (133).

Beef Heifers: Local farmer, Dungannon Lim 820kg £2091 (255), J McLaughlin, Bushmills Cha 670kg £1708 (255), R & W Fleck, Broughshane Cha 690kg £1752 (254), J F Savage & Partners, Lim 590kg £1480 (251), R & W Fleck, Broughshane Cha 640kg £1606 (251), N McBurney, Moorfields Cha 730kg £1788 (245), F Ferguson, Soarn Road Lim 640kg £1568 (245), B O’Neill, Bellaghy Lim 700kg £1708 (244), R Workman, Kilwaughter Cha 590kg £1427 (242).

Beef Bullocks (top per kg): Blackburn Bros Cattle Ltd, Fintona Road Bel 740kg £1931 (2561), Local Farmer Cha 660kg £1716 (260), R McCurdy Broughshane, Cha 700kg £1806 92580, C Reid, Aghalee, Cha 780kg £1996 (256), B Cairns, Dromore Cha 750kg £1920 (256), Blackburn Bros Cattle Ltd, Fintona Cha 710kg £1817 (256), Lim 710kg £1817 (256).

Beef Bullocks (top per head): W J Allen, Benburb Cha 880kg £2147, Cha 900kg £2133, C Reid, Aghalee Cha 810kg £2089, W J Allen, Benburb Lim 830kg £2083, Lim 820kg £2082, Wm Kee, Strabane Cha 880kg £2059, J McIntyre, Castledawson, Cha 940kg £2039, C Reid, Aghalee, Bel 830kg £2033.

Friesian Bullocks: D Parsons, Enniskillen 650kg £1189 (183), G Forsythe, Cloughmills 690kg £1262 (183), J Mackey, Ballynure 500kg £905 (181), W G Johnston, Ligoniel 820kg £1443 (176), A Mawhinney, Bellaghy 740kg £1295 (175), S Gillespie, Portglenone 500kg £845 (169), A Mawhinney, Bellaghy 510kg £856 (168).

On Friday, 17th December 30 dairy cows sold to £2880, leading prices as follows: David Wallace, Antrim £2880, RH & HA Shanks, Dunadry £2580, WG Johnston, Ligoniel £2480, RG & HA Shanks £2420, N & J Coleman, Doagh £2260, £2180, £2120, G & I Currie, Randalstown £2120, NG Chambers, Moneyrea £2040, Beattie Lilburn, Dromore £2040, NG Chambers £1950, David Wallace £1900, NG Chambers £1880, Wllbert Craig, Crumlin £1860, Beattie Lilburn £1850, NG Chambers £1660.

Sucklers sold to £2000, leading prices as follows: H Irvine, Kells BG £2000, BG £1640, BG £1600, J Strange, Ballyclare SHB & bull calf £1540, A Ritchie, Claudy Bel & hfr calf £1490, David Compton, Carninney Char & hfr calf £1490, A Ritchie Bel & hfr calf £1390, Par & bull calf £1320, H Irvine, BG & bull calf £1300, Bel £1250, MJ Lucas, Antrim Here & bull calf £1200.

A super show of 300 dropped calves resulted in a steady trade. Bull calves sold to £555, heifers to £490 and Fr bulls to £165.

Beef bred bull calves sold to: ES Hall, Ballyclare AA £555, E Mullan, Armoy Lim £480, A Beggs, Kilwaughter Sim £440, H Millar, Antrim Bel £400, Smiddie Hill farms, Ballywalter Bel £395, ES Hall, Ballyclare Bel £380, E Mullan Lim £380, TJ & I Bell, Ballyclare Sim £370, N & J Coleman, Doagh Bel £365, I Montgomery, Glenwherry AA £360, RJ Stirling, Ballymena Char £350, Alastair McBurney, Clough Bel £350, local farmer Bel £350, John Gault, Ballyclare SH £345, R Crawford, Larne Lim £345, N & J Coleman, Doagh Bel £340.

Heifer calves sold to: Derek Lyttle, Kells (3) AA £490, A Beggs, Kilwaughter Sim £390, J Bates, Ballyclare Here £390, R Crawford, Raloo Char £360, ES Hall, Ballyclare Lim £345, Robin Bingham, Nutts Corner (2) Char £345, ES Hall AA £340, Robin Bingham, Nutts Corner Char £340, A Beggs AA £340, Alastair McBurney, Clough (3) £330, GM Kernohan, B’shane Char £330.

Fries bull calves sold to: R Crawford, Raloo (2) £165, GM Kernohan, B’shane £135, £110, RF Saunderson, Glenwherry £105, Robin Bingham, Nutts Corner £100, local farmer £60, J Drummond, Bangor £50, Smiddie Hill farms, Ballywalter (2) £45, Robin Bingham, Nutts Corner (4) £45, AP Redmond, Portavogie £40, Smiddie Hill farms £35.

An entry of 250 weanlings in Ballymena resulted in a steady trade. Bull calves sold to £850 over for a Lim 400kg at £1250 offered by John Buick, Kells. Heifers sold to £1020 over for a Char 320kg at £1040 presented by S Douglas, Limavady.

Bulls/blks 0-300kgs: Mrs S Gowdy, Carrick Char 290kg £940 (324), Char 240kg £770 (320), Char 300kg £950 (316), Char 280kg £870 (310), Char 270kg £800 (296), John McAuley, Cushendun Char 180kg £520 (288), Mrs S Gowdy Char 260kg £715 (275), Lim 280kg £740 (264), Lim 250kg £650 (260), Char 260kg £670 (257).

301-350kgs: S Douglas, Limavady Char 350kg £1180 (337), Hanna Hall, Newtownabbey Char 330kg £1080 (327), Stuart Hall, Larne Char 330kg £920 (278), L & J Barron, Trooperslane Char 330kg £880 (266), Brendan McCoy, Trooperslane Lim 350kg £920 (262), M Warwick, Antrim Lim 330kg £865 (262), Wm Warwick, Templepatrick Lim 310kg £700 (258), Mrs S Gowdy, Carrick Lim 310kg £790 (254), Raymond Jordan, Glenavy Lim 330kg £840 (254).

351kg and over: John Buick, Kells Lim 360kg £1160 (322), Lim 400kg £1250 (312), Hanna Hall, Newtownabbey Char 360kg £1120 (311), Char 360kg £1070 (297), S Douglas, Limavady Char 390kg £1150 (294), Char 370kg £1090 (294), Hannah Hall, Char 360kg £1025 (284), Char 360kg £1015 (281), S Douglas, Char 390kg £1075 (275), Char 400kg £1090 (272).

Bulls/blks 0-300kgs: James O’Kane, Glenarm Char 220kg £760 (345), Lim 260kg £810 (311), Char 260kg £805 (309), Char 290kg £885 (305), Raymond Jordan, Glenavy Lim 240kg £720 (300), James O’Kane Char 260kg £750 (288), local farmer (2) Lim 290kg £830 (286), James O’Kane Char 230kg £655 (284), Paul Kennedy, Ballymena (2) Lim 240kg £680 (283).

301-350kgs: S Douglas, Limavady Char 320kg £1340 (418), Hanna Hall, Newtownabbey Char 320kg £990 (309), Lim 330kg £990 (300), S Douglas Char 330kg £975 (295), Hanna Hall Lim 350kg £1000 (285), F Hilton, Ballymena Char 330kg £930 (281), P McCord, Randalstown Lim 330kg £890 (269), Hanna Hall, Char 310kg £790 (254), Raymond Jordan, Glenavy AA 320kg £800 (250).

351kg and over: S Douglas, Limavady Char 370kg £1070 (289), A Warwick, Templepatrick Lim 370kg £840 (227), Richard Kennedy, Ballymena SHB 360kg £810 (225), Andrew Russell, Templepatrick Lim 390kg £840 (215), W Moore, Templepatrick Sim 440kg £945 (214), Paul Kennedy, Ballymena Lim 360kg £760 (311), David Fleming, Templepatrick Lim 460kg £970 (210), Irene Overend, Bellaghy Lim 460kg £955 (207), W Moore Sim 460kg £955 (207), John Buick, Kells Sim 410kg £850 (207).

Ballymena, Monday evening 20th December 2021

Ewes and lambs sold to: M Park, Ballymena 1 Dor ewe & 1 lamb £360, Trevor Smyth, Kilrea 1 Dor ewe & 2 lambs £320, M Park 1 Dor ewe & 1 lamb £310, Trevor Smyth 1 Dor ewe & 2 lambs £300, M Park 1 Dor ewe & 1 lamb £250, Trevor Smyth, 1 Dor ewe & 1 lamb £226, Noel Taggart, Doagh 1 Dor ewe & 1 lamb £220, Trevor Smyth 1 Dor ewe & 1 lamb £198, 1 Tex ewe & 1 lamb £186.

Ewes sold to: Pearse McAuley, Carnlough 3 Dor ewes £250, 2 Dor ewes £230, P McNicholl, Ballymoney 1 Jac £210, 1 Jac £205, Pearse McAuley 2 Dor £205.

Store lambs sold to: GL Porter, Crumlin 3 Bel £115, John Coulter, Ballynahinch 10 Suff £107, Wm Hamilton, Doagh 33 Tex £98, Maria McKeown, Aughafatten 6 Tex £95, Eamon McAtamney, Upperlands 26 Char £94, local farmer 3 CB £94, J O’Neill, Newtowncrommelin 6 Tex £90.50, G & I Davidson, Raloo 3 BF £88, SH Crothers, Doagh 1 Suff £87, J O’Neill, Newtowncrommelin 4 Tex £86, GL Porter 1 Tex £81, John Connon, Deerfin 3 Tex £80, Chris Fleck, Ballymena 4 Tex £78, R Simpson, B’shane 5 CB £77, GL Porter 7 Tex £74.

Ewes lambs sold to: Pearse McAuley, Carnlough 1 Zwa £140, T Mulholland, Loughgiel 2 Bel £130, James Sheppard, Raloo 3 Spo £128, 1 Spo £126, David McClintock, B’shane 2 Zwa £120, 1 Zwa £114, 2 Zwa £96.

A small sale of store cattle in Ballymena on Tuesday, 21st December resulted in a steady trade. Bullocks sold to £910 over for a Char 600kg at £1510 presented by G Arthur, Broughshane. Heifers sold to £760 over for a Lim 490kg at £1250.

Heifers 0-500kgs: Local farmer Lim 490kg £1250 (255), Lim 480kg £1220 (254), Lim 490kg £1220 (249), M Byrne, Randalstown Char 470kg £1025 (218), Char 440kg £930 (211), Raymond Grace, Larne Lim 410kg £850 (207).

Bulls/blks 0-500kgs: Robert Workman, Kilwaughter Char 440kg £1080 (245), Char 460kg £1120 (243), Char 450kg £1040 (231), Raymond Grace, Larne Lim 320kg £690 (215), Lim 380kg £800 (210), local farmer (2) Lim 410kg £860 (209), Bel 420kg £860 (204), JA Boyd, Kircubbin Sim 450kg £900 (200), AA 380kg £760 (200).

Bulls/blks 501 and over: Robert Workman, Kilwaughter Lim 540kg £1400 (259), Geoffrey Arthur, B’shane Char 600kg £1510 (251), M Byrne, Randalstown Char 510kg £1240 (243), G Arthur, B’shane Bel 580kg £1395 (240), Char 590kg £1370 (232), Char 620kg £1420 (229), Matt Workman, Kilwaughter Char 510kg £1155 (226), G Arthur, B’shane AA 550kg £1195 (217), AA 660kg £1400 (212), B Smyth, Randalstown Char 580kg £1220 (210), Robert Workman Bel 590kg £1230 (208), B Smyth, Randalstown Char 540kg £1125 (208), G Arthur, B’shane Here 580kg £1200 (206).

An entry of 788 sheep in Ballymena on Wednesday resulted in a very steady trade. Fat lambs sold to 581p for a pen of 13 Beltex 21.5kg at £125 presented by Glenkeen Livestock, Limavady and to a top per head of £130 for 12 Texels 28.5kg from R McCullough, Carrick. Fat ewes sold to £192.

Top prices per kg: Glenkeen Livestock Ltd, Limavady 13 Bel 21.5kg £125 (581), A Coulter, Doagh 7 Tex 22.5kg £125 (555), I Montgomery, Glenwherry 28 CB 22.5kg £121.50 (540), JJ Hill, Islandmagee 13 Tex 23kg £123 (534), Michael McGarel, Carnlough 12 BF 22.5kg £120 (533), RJ McKay & Son, Carnlough 10 Tex 23kg Tex 23kg £122 (530), J McQuiston, Ballymoney 45 Tex 23.5kg £124 (527), Colin Gardiner, Ballymoney 16 Tex 24kg £126 (525), Adam Hunter, Broughshane 11 Mule 22.5kg £117.50 (522), WT McGookin, Larne 12 Cv 23kg £120 (521), SM Glass, Glarryford 1 Char 23kg £120 (521), Matt Workman, Kilwaughter 21 Suff 22.5kg £117 (520), R Irvine, B’shane 4 Tex 22.5kg £117 (520), local farmer 36 CB 23.5kg £122 (519), L & M J Blaney, Cushendun 7 BF 22kg £114 (518), Sam McNabney, Clough 56 CB 21.5kg £111 (516).

Top per head: R McCullough, Milebush 12 Tex 28.5kg £130, I Montgomery, Glenwherry 1 Tex 31.5kg £127, Colin Gardiner, Ballymoney 16 Tex 24kg £126, D McAuley, Ballyclare 3 Mil 26.5kg £126, J Hutchinson, Ballyclare 3 CB 32kg £126, Norman McBurney, Moorfields 50 Char 24.5kg £125, W & P McCallion, Portglenone 1 Tex 25.5kg £125, SW Thompson, Randalstown 4 Tex 25.5kg £125, Denis Boyd, Straid 35 Suff 26kg £125, G McMaster, Islandmagee 6 Suff 25kg £125, Glenkeen Livestock, Limavady 13 Bel 21.5kg £125, JR Loughery, Limavady 1 BFL 28.5kg £125, A Coulter, Doagh 7 Tex 22.5kg £125, Dale Wylie, Kells 22 KH 25.5kg £124.50, Alex Burleigh, Glenarm 3 Suff 24.5kg £124, J McQuiston, Ballymoney 45 Tex 23.5kg £124.

Fat ewes (101)

1st Quality

Suff - £120-£157

Tex - £140-£192

CB - £100-£124

BF - £60-£84.

A seasonal entry of just under 100 beef cattle at the final sale of 2021 in Ballymena on Thursday, 23rd December resulted in a super trade. Beef cows sold to 206p for 680kg at £1400, Fr cows to 128p for 730kg at £934, beef heifers to 252p for 640kg at £1612, beef bullocks to 244p for 670kg at £1634.

Beef cows sold to: R Wells, Moira Bel 680kg £1400 (206), RJ McNeill, Glenarm Lim 680kg £1387 (204), Alastair Ferguson, Coagh Char 810kg £1595 (197), Char 800kg £1568 (196), R Wells, Lim 700kg £1358 (194), AA 710kg £1377 (194), Sim 370kg £1398 (184), Donal McIlwaine, Cushendall Bel 630kg £1146 (182), R Wells Lim 820kg £1476 (180), Char 680kg £1196 (176).

Friesian cows sold to: JA Boyd, Kircubbin 730kg £934 (128), local farmer 640kg £812 (127), WA & SJ Willis, Portadown 630kg £793 (126), Joseph Adams, Ballymena 580kg £725 (125), W Weatherup, Carrick 700kg £868 (124).

Beef heifers sold to: LM O’Neill, Ardboe Char 640kg £1612 (252), Carrigeen farms, Templepatrick Char 510kg £1213 (238), James Morrison, Ballymoney (2) Char 680kg £1536 (226), Sam McNabney, Clough AA 630kg £1417 (225), John Campbell, Upperlands Lim 800kg £1776 (222).

Beef bullocks sold to:Norman McBurney, Moorfields Char 670kg £1634 (244), E O’Donnell, Toomebridge Lim 670kg £1601 (239), Norman McBurney Char 700kg £1645 (235), James Morrison Lim 690kg £1621 (235), E O’Donnell, Sim 740kg £1731 (234), Sam McNabney, Clough AA 630kg £1467 (233), Norman McBurney Lim 700kg £1624 (232), Scott Bros, Limavady Bel 720kg £1656 (230).