Prices reached 11,500gns at the fifth Summer Sizzler Sale at Ballymena Mart, where elite Holstein genetics from Northern Ireland’s leading herds met a fast trade.
The sale leader, purchased by Peter Kingston, Co Tipperary, was the choice of heifer calves to be born from the American cow Smygwatys Lambda Erica Ex92-USA, sired by Haveitall Blakely Hinge.
The dam, an 11th generation Excellent-classified cow, was nominated All-American senior three-year-old in 2025 and boasts three sons in AI studs. Erica has also bred a daughter that won a reserve All-Canadian award.
Noel and Helen Willis took 8000gns for a choice of three pregnancies by the same sire, bred from a cow that goes back to Oakfield Solomon Footloose Ex97. The buyer was PJ McGrath.
More News
Also at 8000gns was a choice of three pregnancies due in October, from Richard Kingston. The calves are by Vogue A2P2-PP and bred from a cow tracing back to Comestar Latinet Parfect, a maximum-scored Parfect daughter. The lot sold to the Leyburn family.
Top-priced live calf at 10,400gns was the 12-month-old Simlahill Dropbox Mary ET, from J and N McCann. This American-bred heifer is sired by Kings-Ransom Dropbox, with the dam being Blexys Chief Bloody Mary Ex92-USA, the All-American milking yearling of 2023. Her granddam is Rosiers Blexy Goldwyn Ex97-USA, champion at World Dairy Expo. The heifer sold to Bryan and John O’Connor’s Cedarmore herd, Co Cork.
Another American embryo calf made 8600gns, selling to Ballyfrench Farm, Co Down. This was the eight-month-old heifer Matfield Dropbox Cleavage ET, consigned by Alan McMurray. Bred from the 11th generation Excellent-classified cow, Kings-Ransom Kroy Climax Ex94-USA, she is also by Dropbox.
Clive and Joel Richardson sold to a high of 7800gns for Annaghmore Danoises Pace, a four-month-old heifer calf bred from Lumville M Danoise, the All-Ireland champion cow in 2023. She sold to G and J Booth, Stewartstown.
Top-priced milking animal at 7000gns was Slatabogie Spirit Beautygirl Red VG87-2YR, which sold to Gareth Smyth, Cloughmills, Co Antrim. A daughter of Lookout Altitude Beautygirl Red Ex93-2E, she sold due with her second in December to Trent-Way Exclusive Red.
Averages: 40 live lots, £6045.65; eight first-choice heifer calves, £7178.85; eight frozen embryos, £800.62; three heifers in milk, £5946.50 and 35 maiden heifers and heifer calves, £5187.
Share