Northern Ireland sees new Lleyn record price at 2,050gns

Lleyn sheep sold for a new Northern Ireland high for the breed when trade reached 2,050gns at the society sale at Ballymena Livestock Market at the weekend. Females topped at £225/head in the females.

For the third year running Aubrey Bothwell of Co Fermanagh won the shearling ewe section and went on to realise the top price of £225/head when selling this classy pen to H Long, Co Donegal. 

There were three pens which hit the £200/head mark; first was R and E Edwards, Co Down to William McDaid, Co Donegal, Mrs Norah Johnston, Co Antrim to William Millen, Co Londonderry and R J Johnston, Co Antrim also to William Millen.

The ewe lamb section was topped by R and E Edwards with a stylish pen of five selling for £112/head to William Millen.  Messrs Edwards also sold a pen for £90/head to J H Truesdale and Son, Co Down.  B and E Latimer, Co Tyrone, also sold a pen for £90/head to Delan Mullen, Co Londonderry.

In the ram section the first prized shearling ram from B and E Latimer topped the price scale with 2,050gns when sold to William Millen, Co Londonderry.  This homebred ram was bred from a Seamus Killen ram which was bought from the corresponding sale as top price in 2010.

Seamus Killen of Co Down had the next top price with his second prize shearling ram.  Bred from a Debbie McGowan ram, he sold for 950gns to PJ Kane, Co Antrim.

Averages: Shearling ewes, £136.66; Ewe Lambs, £74.55; Ewes, £87.06; Rams, £544.81 (Ballymena Livestock Market)