Aberdeen Angus bulls to 5,400gns and 5,200gns at Dungannon

By Julie Hazelton

There was a strong demand for pedigree Aberdeen Angus bulls at the Native Breeds spring show and sale, held at Dungannon Farmers’ Mart.

Prices peaked at 5,400gns and 5,200gns, and following a complete clearance auctioneer Trevor Wylie confirmed that seven lots were traded to average £3,795 per head, representing an increase of £310 on the same period last year.

Sale leader at 5,400gns was the reserve champion Drumhill Quidsinn X612 TSI+39 SRI+48 bred by Jonathan and Lisa Doyle, Cookstown. Sired by home-bred stock bull Drumhill Lord Hatfield R532 ET, his dam is Nightingale Queen Lois U946 –- a privately purchased daughter of the 2016 Stirling senior champion Drumhill Lord Hampton R414 ET. Born in July 2021, he boasts a milk value of +19 in the breed’s top 10% and was snapped up by Leo Devine from Strabane.

The 50-cow Drumhill herd has enjoyed considerable success in recent years, and also topped the breed society’s April 2022 sale in Dungannon at 5,100gns and 5,000gns with Drumhill Lord Hatfield R532 ET sons. In fact, four Lord Hatfield sons averaged £4,804 at last year’s sale.

Jonathan Doyle said: “Drumhill Lord Hatfield was intermediate and supreme overall champion at Stirling in 2016, and was purchased by Kevin McOscar, owner of the Island Farm Herd for 11,000gns. Lord Hatfield has been a proven and consistent breeder, and I ended up buying him back two years ago.

“He was the winner of the trophy for the best stock bull in the NI Aberdeen Angus Club’s annual herds competition in 2022.”

Next best at 5,200gns was the supreme champion Home Farm Lord Harry X647 bred by Fintan Keown who runs a herd of ten pedigree and 25 commercial cows at Belleek, County Fermanagh.

Sired by Haymount War Smith R578, this May 2021 born bull is bred from the Spangager Tommy Boy daughter, Home Farm Lady Honey T161. He was placed second in his class at the NI club’s Summer Championship Show at Clogher last July. Highest bidder was W Bond, Eglinton, County Londonderry.

Judge Maddie Clarke described the champion as a very correct bull. “It’s been a great show, with quality to the fore, rather than quantity. Today’s champion really stood out. He is a very correct bull with tremendous power, good conformation and breed character.

“The reserve champion is another excellent bull. Slightly younger than the champion, but well put together, with good conformation and breed characteristics.”

The second placed Glen Cowie Royal Duke X951 bred by Iain Colville, Newtownards, came under the hammer at 3,600gns, selling to dairy farmers Andrew and Mark Wilson, Templepatrick.

Born in March 2021, he was sired by the 22-cow herd’s 7,500gns stock bull Stouphill Eligh U217 – male champion at Balmoral Show in 2021; and is out of the 3,300gns Stirling female champion (2015) Ardoyne Royal Lavender N231.

Neville and Ivan Forsythe, Moneymore, sold their best at 3,200gns. The first placed Coltrim Empire X736 TSI+34 SRI+40 was born in November 2021, and is by the herd’s former stock bull and popular AI sire Kiltariff Dynamic D711. His dam Coltrim Evana R336 is one of 30 cows in the long-established herd. Buyer was Cathal McGinnity from Keady, County Armagh.

Nightingale Quantas V002 was behind the breeding of the Doyle duo’s second placed Drumhill Edinson X597 TSI+34 SRI+40. This July 2021 entry sold at 3,100gns to Messrs WJ and J Hanna, Rathfriland.

Results from the judging ring….

Bull, born between 17/03/21 and 06/05/21 – 1, and supreme champion, Fintan Keown, Home Farm Lord Harry X647 by Haymount War Smith R578; 2, Iain Colville, Glen Cowie Royal Duke X951 by Stouphill Eligh U217.

Bull, born between 11/07/21 and 26/07/21 – 1, and reserve champion, Jonathan and Lisa Doyle, Drumhill Quidsinn X612 by Drumhill Lord Hatfield R532 ET; 2, Jonathan and Lisa Doyle, Drumhill Edinson X597 by Nightingale Quantas V002.

Bull, born between 06/11/21 and 26/11/21 – 1, Neville and Ivan Forsythe, Coltrim Empire X736 by Kiltariff Dynamic D711; 2, Neville and Ivan Forsythe, Coltrim Panda X773, by Tofts Evergarth R409; 3, Neville and Ivan Forsythe, Coltrim Peter X751 by Tofts Evergarth R409.