Limousin bulls reached a ceiling of 5,200gns at the British Limousin Cattle Society’s autumn show and sale held at Ballymena Livestock Mart.

Twenty bulls exchanged hands, resulting in an 87% clearance and an average sale price of £3,507.

Topping the trade at 5,200gns was the intermediate and reserve overall male champion Carmorn Usher, bred by Francis McAuley from Toomebridge, Co Antrim.

This 19-month-old bull is sired by Ampertaine Nugent and bred from the Rocky daughter Carmorn Margarita.

A carrier of the F94L and Q204X myostatin genes, Usher sold to a commercial beef producer in Plumbridge, Co Tyrone.

Mr C Murray from Keady, Co Armagh, paid a sum of 5,000gns for the junior and overall male champion Millgate Universe, brought out by Michael Loughran and daughter Christina, who run 35 pedigree cows at Cookstown, Co Tyrone.

Sired by the herd’s senior stock bull Norman Ely, this 17-month-old bull is the first calf bred from the Carrowreagh Narasaki daughter Millgate Sky.

Two lots came under the hammer at 4,000gns. First to sell was the reserve senior champion Ashview Uphold, a 20-month-old Norman Ely son bred by Victor and Stephen Keys from Dromore, Co Tyrone.

He was bred from the Ampertaine Abracadabra daughter Togherdoo Eskie and has NT821 and Q204X genes. Buyer was Martin Barr from Larne.

Also selling at 4,000gns was the youngest bull catalogued Draperhill Utah, from the Rodgers family based in Dromara, Co Down.

This 15-month-old bull is sired by Huntershall Rodman and bred from the Maraiscote Muddy daughter Draperhill Ruby.

A first-prizewinner, he has F94L and Q204X genes and sold to K Bell from Aughnacloy, Co Tyrone.

Glenmarshal success

The senior champion Glenmarshal Theo sold at 3,800gns for Trevor Shields from Kilkeel, Co Down.

Sired by the €38,000 Carrickmore Maximus, his dam is the Wilodge Granville daughter Ronick Pelican.

This 26-month-old bull has F94L and Q204X myostatin genes and sold to fellow Co Down farmer William Hanna.

Three lots from the Glenmarshal prefix sold to average £3,395/head at the sale.

Females peaked at 2,200gns for the reserve female champion Aghadolgan Valerie, a nine-month-old daughter of Glenrock Redemption exhibited by Raymond Savage.

Judge John O’Kane of the Gleneagle herd selected her herd mate Aghadolgan Urena as his female champion, which went on to sell for 2,100gns to P McConnell from just outside Belfast, Co Antrim.