COMMERCIAL calf records were smashed in Northern Ireland when Alan Veitch broke his previous record of £8000, selling a Charolais cross heifer for £9300 at Dungannon, to Aberdeenshire showman, Blair Duffton.

The calf, christened Moana, is a daughter of the 18,000gns Charolais bull, Fury Action, sold at Perth in 2007, out of a former British Blue cross show calf bought at Raphoe as a weaned calf from Messrs Barretts, Co Donegal, some years ago.

Having passed the weighbridge at 580kg, she was knocked down to Blair Duffton, Huntly with Gareth and Dermott Small, Northern Ireland, buying a half share.

Also heading across the Irish Sea for further showing in Scotland was the overall champion at £7600 and the Limousin leader at £1700 both of which were bought by Blair. The champion, a 265kg British Blue cross heifer by Empire D'Ochain, from Jack Smyth, is nevertheless shared with fellow Aberdeenshire show enthusiasts, Rebecca Stewart and William Moir.

Mr Veitch who is no stranger to breeding top show calves, having also produced Blair and Rebecca's previous top winner, Gold Rush, also produced the reserve champion, another Charolais cross heifer, which made £4500 selling to Colin Woodside, Co Antrim. She is bred from a Limousin cross British Blue, one of only a handful of top breeding commercial cows which run alongside several pedigree females of various breeds, in partnership with his father, Kenny Veitch, at Drumlone, Co Fermanagh.

Growing interest in top quality breeding females resulted in the heifer average of £2090 with clearance rates of 97%. Steers levelled at £1180.

Auctioneers: Dungannon Farmers Market