Downpatrick farmer wins overall champion at Rathfriland Co-Op

The animal was sold to F Sherry, Caledon at £1550.

The reserve champion, a 668k Limousin from Ballyward Estate sold at £1600 to M D Livestock.

The Housewife’s Choice, a steer weighing 644k from Kevin O’Hare, Leitrim, Hilltown selling at £1500 to F Sherry, Caledon.

The first prize beef heifer, a 666k Charolais from Joseph McGrath sold at £1420 to Dogherty and Gray, Ballymena.

A 602k reserve Housewife’s Choice heifer sold from Jonathan Davidson, Emdale, Rathfriland, sold at £1300.

A second prize Limousin heifer from Ballyward Estate, 614k sold at £1350 to P Bailie, Richhill.

Third prize beef heifer from J McGrath, 608k at £1340.

A third prize Charolais bullock from J Davidson, 650k sold to David Lyons at £1420 with 678k at £1410, 584k at £1320, 740k at £1320 and 248k weanling at £720 all from the Davidson farm. David Dodds, Emdale, reached £1480 for a 704k Blonde. Kevin O’Hare, Hilltown, sold a 708k Charolais at £1550.

FRIDAY’S WEEKLY SALE

Friday’s cattle sale produced another smashing entry with 155 top nosh weanlings selling to 292p/k for a 246k Charolais male at £720 from a Loughinisland farm. A further 7 Charolais males from this farm sold as follows: 242k at £705 or 291.3p/k, 246k at £685 or 278.5p/k, 270k at £745 or276p/k, 304k at £780 or 256.6p/k, 294k at £750 or 255p/k. Moyadd farmer: 176k at £460 or 291p/k. Burren farmer: 9 Charolais males, 234k at £625 or 267p/k, 266k at £700 or 263p/k. A Clanmaghery farmer reached 263.7p/k for a large entry of Charolais females. Suckler cows with calves at foot sold to £1220 for a Ballynahinch farmer. A Tullyframe farmer, £1210 and a Rathfriland farmer £1100 for sucklers. A big entry of fat cows sold to £980 for an 830k Holstein from Ballynahinch. Newcastle farmer: 670k at £910, 598k at £800, 686k at £835, 620k at £780, 564k at £700. Ballyward farmer: 734k at £890, 666k at £865.

HEIFERS

A Castlewellan farmer sold 17 Limousin and Aberdeen Angus heifers – 648k at £1110, 618k at £1090, 632k at £1075, 628k at £1070, 610k at £1070, 594k at £1065, 620k at £1060. Ballyroney farmer: 524k at £940. Tullyniskey farmer: 632k at £1125. Kilkeel farmer: 350k at £715, 358k at £645.

BULLOCKS

Castlewellan farmer: 628k at £1030, 620k at £1000, 670k at £1000, 640k at £1000, 610k at £970, 584k at £955, 558k at £950. Benraw farmer: 460k at £800, 468k at £900, 468k at £830. Lurgan farmer: 446k at £815.

DROPPED CALVES

Ballynahinch farmer: Hereford bull £400. Newry farmer: Limousin heifer, £375. Clontifleece farmer: Simmental bull £340. Downpatrick farmer: Belgian Blue bull £330. Hillhall farmer: Fleckvieh bulls, £325 and £290. Carrickmadariff farmer: Belgian Blue females, £325, £280 and £260. Kinallen farmer: Charolais bull £310. Rathfriland farmer: Belgian Blue bulls £340, £275 and £270. Rafferty farmer: Simmental bull £270.

Sheep prices again took a further rise on Tuesday evening with heavy lambs to £90 and fat ewes to £120.

LAMBS

Mayobridge farmer: 30k at £90. Kilkeel farmer: 26.9k at £89.50. Ballynamagna farmer: 26.5k at £89.50. Cullyhanna farmer: 25.7k at £89. Newcastle farmer: 25.1k at £89 and 24.7k at £88.50. Rathfriland farmer: 24.2k at £88.50. Blackscull farmer: 27.9k at £88. Downpatrick farmer: 28k at £88. Ballinaskeagh farmer: 24.3k at £87. Finard farmer: 14.2k at £62. Begney farmer: 17k at £72.50. Banbridge farmer: 18k at £75.50.

FAT EWES

Belfast farmer: £120, £102, £100 and £94. Downpatrick farmer: £110. Ballyward farmer: £104. Corbet farmer: £95.