Herd to be sold off after farm death

A dairy herd belonging to a 71-year-old farmer who was tragically killed by a bull last December is to be sold off at Ballymena next Friday (10th May).
Some of the cows which will be in the dispersal sale.  The mother of the calf to be auction off for the Air Ambulance is pictured on the (left).Some of the cows which will be in the dispersal sale.  The mother of the calf to be auction off for the Air Ambulance is pictured on the (left).
Some of the cows which will be in the dispersal sale. The mother of the calf to be auction off for the Air Ambulance is pictured on the (left).

During the sale of the 90 cows, a three month old calf will be auctioned off to raise funds for the Air Ambulance NI which came to the aid of James Gibson following the accident on his Aughafatten, Broughshane farm.

Son Peter said that he and his brother had kept the herd going for the past few months but had now made the decision to sell off the 90 cows, half of which are Holstein Freisans and the remainder Fleckvieh cross. There are also 17 in calf heifers coming under the hammer.

Peter said his father had farmed at Broughshane since leaving school and was a quiet man who didn’t like a big fuss.

Peter Gibson with the calf which will be auction off in aid of Air Ambulance NI.Peter Gibson with the calf which will be auction off in aid of Air Ambulance NI.
Peter Gibson with the calf which will be auction off in aid of Air Ambulance NI.

He added: “He lived for the cows and was a man who kept his head down and just got on with things. He was very much a stockman and it was often said to us that people had never seen a quieter herd of cows. Even the hoof man said that too; it was the only herd he had seen that had cows that didn’t kick out.”

Peter said on the day of the accident he had been in with his father 20 minutes before he was found in the pit of the parlour.

“The Air Ambulance attended the scene but unfortunately there was nothing that they could do, but they were very good,” said Peter.

The family now want to support the work of the charity by auctioning off the three month old heifer which has been sired by a Mogul stockbull. The heifer’s mother is projected to produce 10,000 litres this year. The current herd average is 8,300 litres with the average of 30 litres daily, 3.29%P and 4.36%BF. The herd can be viewed prior to sale. Further details and catalogue can be obtained from the mart on 02825633470.