SWATRAGH SIMMENTAL TRADE PEAKS AT 3,700GNS

There was a steady trade for pedigree and commercial cattle at the Northern Ireland Simmental Club’s evening show and sale, held at Swatragh Livestock Market.

Prices peaked at 3,700gns, with auctioneer Stephen Redmond confirming that 10 bulls changed hands to level at £2,768 per head (83%), while four pedigree females topped at 2,600gns and averaged £2,086 each.

Claiming the sale’s top price of 3,700gns was new breeder Chris Quinn from Cookstown who exhibited the thirteen-month-old Dunrock Mighty. This first prize winner was sired by Curaheen Bandit, and bred from one of the herd’s foundation females, Ranfurly Weikel 27th J16 – purchased for 5,500gns as an in-calf heifer at the Ranfurly herd’s third production sale in 2020. This much-admired red bull was a first prize winner at the inaugural Four-Breeds Calf Show, held at Dungannon last November.
Boasting Breedplan figures in the top 5% for eye muscle area +5.6, milk +14 and terminal production index +100, he sold to R McGilligan from Drumsurn, Limavady.

Second highest bid of the evening 3,300gns was paid to Cecil McIlwaine, and sons Scott and Neil, from Newtownstewart, for the November 2020 Corrick Laser. This bull caught the eye of judge Ryan Gilmour, Dungannon, to secure the male championship.
Sired by Seafort Gill, he is the first calf bred from the home-bred Woodhall Ferrari daughter Corrick Iris. Ranked in the breed’s top 10% for terminal production index +100, he was snapped up by Crockataggart Farms based at Draperstown.
Established over 40 years ago, the 18-cow Corrick Herd has sold four Seafort Gill sons this spring at Stirling, Dungannon and Swatragh to average £4,804 per head.

“There was a good show of quality stock at Swatragh. The male champion is a tremendous bull with power, width, length and a good top,” explained Ryan Gilmore, whose Gillview Herd comprises of eight breeding females.

Also making his Simmental show and sale debut was first-time exhibitor Joseph Muldoon from Aughnacloy. He brought out the second placed Belragh Major ET who sold for 2,860gns to George Hamilton, Randalstown.

This fourteen-month-old bull was sired by Kilbride Farm Dragoon, and bred from Raceview Kalyto Ginger – purchased for 3,300 Euros at the Raceview Herd’s draft sale at Roscommon in 2019. Belragh Major is in the breed’s top 10% for eye muscle area +5.0 and milk +10.

Joseph Muldoon’s Belragh prefix comprises of three breeding females, managed alongside a small pedigree Texel flock, 30 commercial suckler cows, and 150 cross-bred ewes.

Following close behind at 2,800gns was the October 2020 Edenbann Lorenzo TPI+70 SRI+79 bred by Garvagh vet Nevin Smyth. This first prize winner is a son of the herd’s jointly owned stock bull Rabawn Flame, and is out of a home-bred Curaheen Apostle dam. Buyer was Ronnie Killen from Newbuildings.

Two lots sold for 2,500gns each. First to sell was the third prize winning Bridgewater Farm Linton bred by Nigel Glasgow, Cookstown. Born in November 2020, he is by Islavale Frontier, and out of a home-bred dam by the twice Balmoral Show breed champion Dermotstown Delboy. This bull is in the breed’s top 5% for milk +11 and eye muscle area +5.5, and top 15% for self-replacing index +105. Highest bidder was David Thompson from Killaloo, Londonderry.

Selling for 2,500gns to Martin Smyth, Castlerock, was the reserve male champion Hiltonstown Marquez bred by Richard Rodgers, and son Rhys, from Portglenone. Another by Islavale Frontier, this thirteen-month-old bull is bred from Hiltonstown Grace VG88 – one of 35 cows in the herd. He is in the top 10% for calving ease +4.0, and his maternal half-brother was exported to Germany earlier this year.

Judge Ryan Gilmour added: “The reserve male champion is another good well-balanced bull.”

Females reached a ceiling of 2,600gns, paid to sale sponsor Eamon McCloskey, Kilrea, for the female and supreme overall champion Drumagarner Lacy. Born in 2020, she was sired by Lissadel King VIP, and is out of a home-bred dam by the 12,000gns Kilbride Farm Bantry.

Described by the judge as lovely, sweet heifer with great style and show presence, she sold to pedigree breeder David Cameron, Portstewart, for his Ballee Herd.

Eamon McCloskey’s second placed Drumagarner Lorraine sold for 2,000gns to Ronnie Killen. Born in June 2020 she is by herd sire Rabawn Flame, and out of a home-bred dam. This heifer is in-calf to Curaheen Dickens.

The commercial section of the sale attracted an entry of in-calf and maiden heifers. In-calf heifers peaked at £1,320 and £1,260, paid to Carson Smylie, Nutt’s Corner, for cross-bred Simmental heifers, due in June to a Simmental bull. Maiden heifers sold to a top of £1,280, paid to Kenneth and Andrew Clarke, Tynan; while Keith Nelson, Rosslea, realised £1,160 for a cross-bred maiden heifer.