The seventh Dungannon Dairy Sale, hosted by Taaffe Auctions, took place on Thursday, April 20.
The sale, which took place at Dungannon Mart, Co. Tyrone, saw Holstein Friesian bulls make a top price of £4,935 with heifers going for a maximum price of £2,541.
The average price for bulls was £2,575, of which there was a 100% clearance of the 12 bulls on show. Of the 64 females, the average price paid was £1,412, with a 98% clearance.
Bull prices
Top price on the day went to the pre-sale male champion Prehen Franzen ET PLI £571 exhibited by Robbie and Stuart Smith from Derry. The bull was sold to James and Edward Stevenson from Kilkeel for £4,935.
The reserve champion was Derrydorragh Righteous Brother ET PLI £308, born in December 2015, owned by Willard and Adam Watson, Macosquin. The winning bid of £4,095 was made by Thomas Nicholson of Kilkeel.
Adam Watson, Macosquin, exhibited the reserve champion bull Derrydorragh Righteous Brother ET PLI £308. Also included are Jeff Haslett, Moore Concrete, sponsor; and judge James Walker, Randalstown
The third highest price went for Prehen Goldrush PLI £376 – the honourable mention prize winner from Robbie and Stuart Smith. The bull was born in February 2016, and was bought by Stephen Cargill from Parkgate, Balllyclare for a price of £3,780.
Another notable price was that given for Carrowcroft Repetorie PLI £418, who made £3,465 for his owner Geoffrey Patton. The 14-month-old was bought by Robert Shaw.
Heifer prices
Ards Diamond Sara, owned by the Patton family, secured the highest heifer price on the day of £2,541. The two-year-old heifer is a daughter of Seagull Bay Diamond, and is bred from Ards Meridian Sara. She won the Dungannon heifer ribbons and attracted the winning bid from Norman and James Morton, Milford, Armagh.
The honourable mention prize winner, Relough MVP Roxie, received the second highest heifer price of £2,205. The heifer was sold by owners Ronald McLean and Sons, Donaghmore, to a Tyrone buyer.
Another notable price of £2,121 was the unshown Bloomhill Lennox Dewdrop exhibited by Richard Shanks, Tandragee. The heifer, born in November 2014, was sold to Stephen Cargill.
The highest price paid for second-calvers was £1,785, which was paid for the unshown Hilltara Razor Charlotte GP83-2yr, to Sam and John McCormick, of Bangor. The heifer went to a Tyrone buyer.
Female champion Ards Diamond Sara. Pictured are vendor Wilson Patton, Newtownards; sponsor Jeff Haslett, Moore Concrete; and judge James Walker, Randalstown