Jalex production sale tops £2,600

The Jalex Production Sale held at Ballymena Mart on behalf of Nelson and James Alexander, Randalstown attracted a super crowd at the weekend, with farmers attending from right across the country.

This sale has earned the reputation of being an excellent event to source top class suckler replacements with this year being no exception. Prices topped at £2,600 for heifers paid on two occasions. The first was for a well made red heifer on top of her work to the Simmental bull. She sold to Matt and Robert Workman, Kilwaughter.

Nigel Matchett, Portadown forked out £2,600 to secure the best of the freshly calved heifers with this outfit selling with a week old Simmental heifer calf at foot.

The Jalex in calf heifers were eagerly bid for by the packed ringside and met with a total clearance. Andrew Ewing, Annan snapped up 25 of these on behalf of two farmers based in the south of England. A number of top end heifers were also purchased by Alistair Ward, Cumbria.

Maiden heifers topped at £1,750 paid for a number of lots.

The Alexander’s realised £3,500 for their Simmental bull Glenoak Charlie. This three year old bull was purchased by Victor Wilson, Derrylin.

Spirited bidding saw auctioneer Graham Loughery briskly sail through the 2012 born calves on offer from Derek Frew’s Frewstown herd. These reached 1,900gns paid by Mr and Mrs Armstrong, Straid for the April 2012 born Frewstown Hullabaloo. The same purchasers also took home the top priced heifer calf from Frewstown for their Seskingrove herd. Both of these promising calves were sired by the highly successful stock bull Carmorn Cantona.

Auctioneers: JA McClelland and Son