Northern Ireland Dinner Dance

by Iain | Feb 9, 2015 | Uncategorised

 

 

WORCESTER MARKET IS CONFIRMED AS OUR NEW SPRING VENUE REPLACING BRISTOL.

by Iain | Nov 12, 2014 | Uncategorised

The inaugural sale will take place on Saturday 9^th May 2015.
£1000 in the form of 4X £250 Vouchers will be given to the 4 x top purchasers male/female of the day.

Watch our website and press for more details.

Strong entry for Agri Expo Calf Show

by Iain | Nov 5, 2014 | Uncategorised

A new high entry of 46 calves proves the 2014 show is still going from strength to strength. This year’s judge, Mr Andy Ryder, from Carlisle, had his work cut out in some good classes of quality stock. Coming through as junior champion to clinch the overall title was  was Deerhurst Fern from the Van Der Gucht family. This Penwern Amber daughter is out of Deerhurst Bridesmaid and was on her first show outing.

Then following close behind her was the reserve junior and reserve overall Popes Foreman from Jimmy and Vicky Wood and shown by son Harry Wood. This son of the 20,000gns Kilbride Farm Comber is out of Popes Princess Bella.

The senior championship win went to the Barlow Bros with Denizes Beauty, an Ashland Tornado daughter out of Ranfurly Beauty 5, while reserve senior was Sterling Fiesta’s Ellie from the same class. This one from Boddington Estates is by Sterling Cotswold and to of Thursford Fiesta 8.

Back in the normal running of classes, standing top of the line in the first class was Denizes Exclusive 13, again from Barlow Bros. This ET-bred Cairnview Snazzy son is out of top price heifer bought from the Ranfurly sale, Ranfurly Beauty 5 th. He’s already been sold privately to Genus.

Winning the second class was the ET-bred Popes Barclay son Sterling Eurostar from Boddington Estates. Standing in second place was Rosten E male by Camus Beaver and out of the Wednesday cow family.

The third class saw the Wood family stand top with their reserve overall champion and second to them was Sterling Felix, an ET-bred Dovefields Gallant son.

The fourth class of the day was the baby bulls and standing top was the Popes team again, this time with Popes Freeman, by Atlow Awesome and again from the successful Princess cow family. Taking the second place rosette was Sterling Ferdinand from Boddington Estates. This one was another by senior herd sire Sterling Cotswold.

Leading the fifth class was J and J M Sanders with their heifer Bavington Susie 3rd, a Blackford Bullfinch 10 daughter out of a home bred Salisbury Triumph daughter.

Class six saw the senior and reserve champion come from here from the Barlow Bros and then the Boddington team.

Meanwhile, the overall champion led the next class with Sterling Celias Fifi from Boddington Estate standing second.

In the youngest heifer class N and N Gwynne stood top with Chestermann Ringleader Lulu 3, a Blackford Ringleader daughter.

Winning the Semex sponsored pairs was the Wood family with their 2 bulls, Foreman and Freeman, in reserve was Boddington Estates.

Simmental females in demand at Dungannon

by Iain | Oct 23, 2014 | Uncategorised

A buoyant trade for Simmental females at Dungannon Farmers’ Mart resulted in pedigree heifers selling to a top of 2,000gns; while commercial entries peaked at £1,110 over their weight.
Sale leader in the pedigree section was the fourth placed Coolcrannel Edna bred by Willie Phair from Lisbellaw, County Fermanagh. Born in April 2013, she is a daughter of the former 10,000gns Stirling champion Drumlone Anchor, and is out of a home-bred dam by Dripsey Super King. Buyer was David Toner from Camlough, County Armagh.

Two lots came under the hammer of auctioneer Trevor Wylie at 1,700gns each. First to sell was the fifth placed Woodford Paula 2^nd from Thelma and Peter Gorman’s Armagh-based herd. Almost two-years-old, she is by the popular AI sire Kilbride Farm Newry, and is out of the herd’s prize winning show cow Woodford Paula. This heifer was shown successfully throughout the summer, and was snapped up by Peter Jordan from Dungannon, County Tyrone.

Also selling at 1,700gns was Castlemount Vienna, a second prize winner by Omorga Volvo, bred and exhibited by Duncan McDowell from Newtownards, County Down. Her dam was the Slievenagh Fantastic daughter, Slievenagh Vienna – purchased privately for the 15-cow herd founded in 2011.

The pre-sale show was judged by the club’s vice-chairman Matthew Cunning, Glarryford, and generously sponsored by Animax – manufacturers of the leading bolus brand Tracesure.

Claiming the day’s female and reserve supreme championship awards was Breaghey Elberta, an April 2013 born Dripsey Super King daughter offered for sale by Wesley Abraham from Irvinestown, County Fermanagh. She was bred from the Derrycallaghan Hamilton daughter Corrick Vida – 3,100gns Dungannon female champion in spring 2009. This heifer failed to meet her reserve and was withdrawn from the salering.

The reserve female championship went to Ballinlare Farm Dancer, a twenty-three-month-old heifer from Joe Wilson’s herd at Newry, County Down. Sired by the herd’s 20,000gns Stirling champion Auchorachan Wizard, she is out of a home-bred dam by the noted Camus Brandy. This heifer was shown throughout the summer, and despite a bid of 3,000gns she returned home unsold.

The male and supreme overall championship awards went to the May 2013 born Castlemount Ernie bred by Duncan McDowell. Sired by the Hillcrest Champion son Curaheen Vio, he was bred from a dam carrying the Slievenagh prefix.

Taking the reserve male championship was Ballinlare Farm Equaliser, a May 2013 born Auchorachan Wizard son exhibited by Joe Wilson. He is out of a home-bred dam by former stock bull Innerwick Krackerjack.

A draft entry from Andy Weatherup’s herd at Larne saw prices peak at 1,800gns, realised by the October 2007 born Ballyvallough Valerie. Sired by Omorga Shogun, she is out of a home-bred Glebefarm Marksman daughter. Included in the price was her unregistered heifer calf, and a confirmed pregnancy to Slimero Everest.

The commercial section of the sale met a solid trade with in-calf heifers peaking at £1,750 and £1,550 paid to C Daly from Benburb, County Tyrone. Next best at £1,500 and £1,450 were in-calf heifers bred by Seamus Casey, Dungannon.

Maiden heifers topped at £266 per 100 kilos, paid to David Henderson, Tamlaght, County Fermanagh, for a 465kgs heifer at £1,240. He also realised £1,200 for a 490kgs heifer (£245); and £1,200 for a 480kgs heifer (£250). Leslie Weatherup, Ballyclare, 405kgs at £1,000 (£247); and Messrs Rice, Castlewellan, County Down, 490kgs at £1,200 (£245).

A spokesman for the NI Simmental Cattle Breeders’ Club commented that bull trade reflected the current economic climate. “We had a small entry of bulls. Buyers were sticking to a budget, which unfortunately for the vendors, fell short of their expectations. The autumn sale can be tricky for bulls.

“However, trade for pedigree and commercial females remains strong, as suckler herd owners continue to recognise the breed’s sought-after characteristics– fertility, milk and mothering ability, and docility.”

Averages: 10 pedigree heifers £1,670 in an 84% clearance; one cow with calf at foot £1,890.

Simmental club raises £11,000 for charity

by Iain | Sep 9, 2014 | Uncategorised

The NI Simmental Cattle Breeders’ Club has presented a cheque for £11,000 to Friends of the Cancer Centre based at Belfast City Hospital. 

The money is the proceeds of the club’s annual charity BBQ and auction, which was boosted by a raffle organised by club members Pat and Kathleen Kelly, from Tempo, County Fermanagh.

Charity trustees Jim Gamble and Avril Graham said: “This is an exceptional amount of money for a very worthy cause. It is a great privilege to accept the cheque on behalf of Friends of the Cancer Centre, and we are truly grateful to the Northern Ireland Simmental Cattle Breeders’ Club for its generous contribution.”

Speaking at the club’s annual BBQ, held recently in Dungannon Rugby Club, the charity’s fund raising manager Claire Hogarth said:” Friends of the Cancer Centre makes a meaningful difference to thousands of patients and their families annually.

“Funds raised will go towards patient comfort and care, complementary therapies such as aromatherapy, massage and reflexology; as well as research and clinical trials. We also provide clinical nurse specialists and information and support.”

NI Simmental Cattle Breeders’ Club chairman Richard Rodgers thanked everyone who supported this year’s fund raising efforts. “We had a fantastic night, with a great crowd and excellent food. More importantly we raised a staggering £11,000 for Friends of the Cancer Centre.

“I would like to thank the committee and everyone who contributed to the success of the evening, especially the ladies who provided the salads and the delicious desserts; and those who donated prizes for the raffle and items for the auction. Thanks also to Colin Harbinson from The Meat Joint in Antrim who supplied and partly sponsored the steak; and to Dungannon Rugby Club for its excellent facilities.”

Pat Kelly added:”A big thank you to everyone who supported this year’s charity. It was a huge success, and this phenomenal amount of money is testimony to the hard work and dedication of a collective body of people.”

Winning ticket holders included:

Kevin Leonard, Enniskillen – Two nights B&B for two people at the Slieve Russell hotel in Derrylin.

Tony Kelly, Tempo  – One tonne of Excelsior pedigree feed from Fane Valley.

Bernie Traynor, Draperstown – Mid-week B&B stay for two people in a lake view room at the Lough Erne Golf Resort and Spa.

Gabriel Williamson, Enniskillen – £200 Marks and Spencer voucher

Paul Campbell, Tempo –  Meal for two at the award-winning MacNean Restaurant at Blacklion, County Cavan, and a cookery book signed by celebrity chef Neven Maguire.

The NI Simmental Cattle Breeders’ Club has been hosting its charity BBQ at Dungannon Rugby Club for 23 years, and during that time has raised almost £100,000 for local charities.

Bosahan herd wins Most Improved Herd Award for the Simmental breed for an unprecedented second consecutive year

by Iain | Aug 28, 2014 | Uncategorised

The Bosahan herd, based in Constantine, near Falmouth, has been recognised by EBLEX as the Most Improved Herd of Simmental cattle in England for 2014.

The award is presented by the EBLEX Beef Better Returns Programme (BRP) to the performance-recorded herd that shows the greatest genetic gain for commercial characteristics over a 12-month period. There is a separate award for each of 10 UK breeds.

Bosahan farm has been in the Olds family since 1964 and was a dairy enterprise for 42 years. In 2005, the Trewardreva dairy herd was sold and since then they have concentrated more simply on the home farm, made up of 50 acres of permanent grassland and 20 acres of woodland.

The Simmental herd was established soon after the dairy herd was sold when John, having been impressed by the temperament of the Simmental breed, purchased their seven foundation cows and a stock bull. This small herd went on to produce an impressive 17 heifer calves in three years. The Bosahan herd now has 33 active females with over 60 per cent born since 2009.

Production cycle

The Bosahan herd calves from November through to March, with the aim to calve heifers down at around two years and nine months.

While housed over the winter, cattle are fed home-produced silage, supplemented with concentrates. Creep feed is offered to calves from 12 weeks old and they are weaned at nine months. Post-weaning, bull calves remain housed on woodchip and are fed individual rations through an out-of-parlour feeder.

At 12 months of age, John and Bridget Olds decide which of the male calves meet their criteria to be sold as breeding stock bulls and the remainder are finished by 16 months. All are reared commercially, with breeding bulls being fed a maximum of 10kgs per day by 17 months of age and achieving daily liveweight gains from birth in excess of 1.5kgs.

Before turn out, cows are pregnancy diagnosed and animals are managed according to group. The bull stays with recently calved cows or those identified as empty. Fertility is important for all breeders and the Bosahan herd has a calving interval averaging 389 days. In June, the bull calves together with their dams are separated into a group away from the heifer calves.

Guided by the figures

Bridget and John have been performance recording the herd since 2009, believing the breeding value figures are informing decisions made by both pedigree and commercial breeders. They began by submitting weights and in 2010 incorporated ultrasound scanning to help identify which families are producing progeny with the best beef carcases.

“In terms of the desired traits within the herd, we aim for average calving ease and prefer to see vigorous calves that are keen to suckle,” John said.

“We would expect birth weights of 50kg from mature cows.”

They feel the 400-day weights give an important guide to performance potential and market bull beef at 14 to 16 months, achieving weights of approximately 750kg, producing U grade carcases which kill out at 55 to 58 per cent. Attention to Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) for Retail Beef Yield and Eye Muscle Area are also helping them to improve their finished beef.

“We are also starting to monitor and select on milk figures, particularly in relation to heifer replacements,” John said.

“This will build on the genetics we have already established and will continue to deliver improvements in our females’ ability to rear their calves.”

Maintaining genetic diversity

Skerrington Armada, their stock bull since 2011, is used on the majority of the herd, with approximately 10 per cent, including Armada’s daughters, artificially inseminated using semen from different bulls. Last year they accessed semen from Dirnanean Apostle, a young, polled bull on test, boasting the highest eye muscle score in the breed and easy calving. Apostle is by a New Zealand bull and provides a good outcross, widening the genetic base.

They have also used Dirnanean Jacob and are confident that the genetics and figures from both of these bulls will complement the Bosahan herd. Continuing to develop the Bosahan herd and accessing new bloodlines is becoming their main challenge for the future.

Protecting herd health

Being members of the Premium Cattle Health Scheme run by Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), they recognise that reducing the risks of BVD, IBR, Leptospirosis and Johnes disease not only benefits their herd, but also encourages purchasers to buy with confidence. In addition, they are in a 12-month TB testing area. They believe this high level of vigilance reduces the odds of vendors acquiring hidden disease.

Developing sales

They have only recently begun selling animals from the herd and until this year have mainly sold directly off the farm to both commercial and pedigree breeders. Having a herd of young cows, including seven first-calving heifers in 2013, they decided to sell some surplus females. They took three bulls and10 heifers to prospective buyers at the Bristol Society Sale on 10 May this year, which proved to be a landmark day for the Bosahan Herd.

Of the three bulls, Bosahan Dynamo broke the sale record, being acquired by the Denizes Pedigree Herd for 9600gns. Bosahan Declaration and Bosahan Dandini were sold to commercial buyers for 2,100gns and 3,500gns respectively. These buyers can expect to produce early-finishing cattle with the high weight-to-age ratios which the Simmental breed are renowned for, plus outstanding suckler cow replacements.

John and Bridget have a realistic view of today’s market, selling at both ends of the spectrum, with bulls at the Bristol Society Sale averaging 5000gns and heifers averaging 1900 gns. It was a busy and exciting event for the Bosahan herd, with all of the females and 80 per cent of the bulls sold on the day.

“Due to our success at the Bristol Sale combined with private sales, the Bosahan prefix is now represented in pedigree herds throughout the British Isles,” John said.

“We’re thrilled to think that Bosahan genetics could be providing successful foundation bloodlines for other breeders.”

In addition to their own website – www.bosahan.org.uk – they promote the herd through social media such as Facebook and advertise through agricultural merchants and markets. They believe that local shows, such as the Royal Cornwall Show, the October Cornwall Pedigree Beef Calf Show and summer one-day shows provide an excellent shop window for their stock, and they are proud to have acquired a few rosettes along the way!

Continued success

Bridget and John were delighted and very surprised to win the Improved Herd Award for a second consecutive year. They put their success down to the fact that they have a young herd and a recent influx of new genetics from the seven first-time calving heifers, giving a boost to their figures. These females, daughters and granddaughters of some of their foundation cows, combined with Armada, is having a positive influence and seems to be working well within the family bloodlines. This bodes well for the future of the Bosahan Herd.