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Generously sponsored by Animax and Connon General Merchants, the catalogue features an entry of 26 bulls and 17 pedigree females.

A selection of commercial females will come under the hammer immediately after the pedigree sale.

Judging gets underway at 5.00pm, and is in the capable hands of commercial suckler herd owner and UTV Rare Breed star James Alexander from Randalstown. The sale will commence at 7.00pm.

All set for next week's NI Simmental Cattle Breeders' Club show and sale in Ballymena Mart are club committee member Matthew Cunning, centre, with sponsors Neill Acheson, Animax, and Frances Connon, Connon General Merchants. Picture: Julie Hazelton

The bulls on offer range in age from September 2016 to April 2017.

Club chairman Conrad Fegan said: “This is an official Simmental Club sale. Bidders are assured of quality and consistency, and can buy with confidence knowing that all pedigree and commercial cattle have been tested and vaccinated for BVD. Many of the pedigree bulls and females featured in the catalogue come from high health accredited herds.”

All pedigree stock will be veterinary inspected prior to the sale, and sold under the auspices of the National Beef Association. The commercial females have been on-farm inspected.

Herds represented in the catalogue include: Ashfurly, Ashland, Ballygowanlove, Breaghey, Camus, Cladymore, Cleenagh, Craigy, Drumacritten, Drumbulcan, Drumcoote, Drumlone, Gortnamoyagh, Hiltonstown, Kilbride Farm, Lisglass, Longbeach, Ranfurly, Rehall, Shancon, Slievenagh and Stewartstown.

The female portion of the catalogue comprises of three cows with calf at foot, one in-calf cow, and 13 maiden heifers. They have been consigned by the Castlemount, Craigy, Drumacritten, Lisglass, Lissan and Whitdrum herds.

Breed society president Robin Boyd is offering a draft of four maiden heifers from his Slievenagh Herd. They are daughters of Kilbride Farm Delboy, Curaheen Apostle and the polled Linde General.

Leslie and Christopher Weatherup are offering four maiden heifers from their Lisglass Herd. They are daughters of the 2014 and 2015 Balmoral champion Dermotstown Delboy.

Conrad Fegan added: “The dual purpose Simmental breed has tremendous maternal and terminal traits, giving it a competitive edge when it comes to profitability. The females are fertile, docile, and have great mothering characteristics, coupled with plenty of milk.”

The catalogue can be viewed on the British Simmental Cattle Society website: www.britishsimmental.co.uk. Click on sales and select on-line catalogues.

Catalogues are also available on request from the auctioneers JA McClelland and Sons tel: 028 2563 3470.

Evening sale of Simmentals