Bygone Days: One of the best known Charolais sires all set to be revived at auction (1990)

A straw of semen from Loughgall Archiduc was to be auctioned in aid of the appeal for the British Blind Sports team.

The straw had been discovered by Ai Services when it took the insemination service over from the Department of Agriculture.

Jack McConnell, chief executive of AI Services, told Farming Life: “I think this is the fairest way to dispose of this much sought after semen.

“When it is auctioned, every breeder has a chance to bid for it and no one will benefit financially from it since the proceeds, including the auctioneer's fees are going to a worthwhile appeal.”

James Owens, chairman of the Northern Ireland Charolais Club thanked Ai Services for donating the straw to the club. He said that he was looking forward to the interest that would be generated by this “grand old sire” which “epitomised the Charolais breed”.

For auctioneer Tom Clarke it was going to be a nostalgic occasion. Tom was the breed secretary when the club was formed and when Archiduc came in Northern Ireland, and in 1990, as the NICC's

official auctioneer, and he was to auction the straw of Archiduc semen.

He recalled: “Archiduc was one of four or five famous sires that Willie Spiers, who was then with the Department of Agriculture, bought in France. He was imported with Achille, Auteuil and Apollon.

“The English Milk Marketing Board lost their importation due to a test failure and Apollon was sold to them and has sired more progeny than any other sire in the herd book.

“Archiduc came from Gabriel Vagne's herd, the same herd which bred Diademe.

“He was used to found the Loughgall herd and breeders came from England to buy yearling heifers sired by him at 3,000 and 4,000 guineas each,” he said.

Al Services was also donating three straws of Automart Uranus semen which were to to be sold with the Archiduc straw with all the proceeds going to the appeal which was being made by the British Blind Sports team.

A team was being sent to the international championships in France in July 1990 and the appeal had been launched to try to raise enough money for the training sessions and for attendance.

The NICC was proud that Heather Millar from Coleraine, and the daughter of one of its members, had been selected for the team.

Paisley anger at quota plan hold-up: DUP leader the Reverend Ian Paisley had expressed “grave concern and anger” at the hold-up in the allocation of the extra 1% milk quota for the United Kingdom.

He said that it was vital that this extra 1% should be made available in 1990 because “it seemed that many dairy farmers were well over quota and facing super levy charges as things stood at present”.

Paisley added: “Not that the Brussels Commission has rejected the MAFF proposals it means new proposals will have to be submitted and with only five weeks to go before the end of the milk year on March 31 It will be touch and go whether or not the extra 1% will be allocated in time.”

He said that many dairy farmers in Northern Ireland would be “extremely disappointed and alarmed” at the delay.

“It is impossible for farmers to carry on their business with so much uncertainty as to what the final level of quota is going to be.

“I would urge officials in the ministry and at European Commission level to try to get the matter resolved as quickly as possible in the interests of dairy producers.”

He said that he had made representations to European Commissioner Ray MacSharry to ensure that the matter was processed as quickly as possible.

Regional winners of Milk Marketing Board election: Harold Hamilton and Robin Morrow had been the successful candidates in the poll for two regional seats on the Milk Marketing Board for Northern Ireland, reported Farming Life.

Mr Hamilton of Agharainey, Kesh, Co Fermanagh, polled 1,983 votes and Mr Morrow, of Ben Vista, Ballyhanwood Road, Dundonald, polled 2,334.

Sitting member, Joseph Alexander Patton, fell short of being returned with 1,921 votes, a margin |of only 62 in a closely fought contest.