It was a day to remember for James Alexander and family when they sold no fewer than 44 lots at or above the £5000 bracket at their biggest on-farm sale to date near Randalstown, Co Antrim.
The sale saw 217 lots change hands with eight lots selling for more than £8000, and Messrs Lynn, Co Antrim, buying three of the four top-priced lots at £18,000, £14,000 and £11,000 along with several others.
Dearest was the three-year-old in-calf Limousin cross heifer Molly, sired by Ampertaine Foreman.
A 27-month-old maiden Limousin then realised £14,000. Bred by the Harrisons, Grange Hall Farm, she is a daughter of Nobel Madness and out of a British Blue cross cow. The top-priced cow and calf also headed home in the same trailer at £11,000. This three-year-old Blonde cross British Blue cow sold with her March-born heifer calf by Corcamore Romeo.
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Selling across the Irish Sea to Shropshire, Paul and Christine Tippets, Lodge Hill Farm, Shifnal, bought the 15-month-old Charolais cross bull Tiny for £14,000. He is sired by Anside Foreman and out of the Limousin cross heifer Tidy Dancer, bred by Hugh and Stewart Dunlop.
The couple also gave £8500 for an April 2021-born British Blue cross heifer carrying a heifer calf by Elderberry Galahad.
Other in-calf heifers sold to £10,000 for a January 2021-born British Blue purchased by Messrs Daly, Co Galway, Ireland. Sired by Imperial de l’Ecluse, she sold carrying a heifer calf to Corcamore Romeo.
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Another in-calf heifer, Lissalohorig Rihanna, made £7000 when finding a new home with Messrs Robson, Co Tyrone. This four-year-old sold due with a bull calf to a Grove Farm sire.
Messrs Lenehan, Co Sligo, Ireland, went to £9200 for a three-year-old British Blue cow which sold with her February-born bull calf at foot, also by Romeo.
A similar outfit then made £8800 to Messrs Harte, Co Sligo, Ireland. The cow is by Du Grand Bon Dieu, with the heifer calf being another by Romeo.
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Another two cow and calf lots made £7700 and £7100 when selling to Messrs Lynn, Co Antrim, and Messrs Binns, Staffordshire, respectively.
Dearest was another three-year-old British Blue, and a March-born bull calf by Romeo. The latter sold with an April-born heifer calf by the Grove Farm sire.
Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.
Averages: 78 heifers with calves at foot, £4561.82; 135 in-calf heifers, £3755.51; four cross bred bulls, £6700
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