A number of NI bulls were among the leading prices at the Charolais and Simmental society sales at Stirling Mart over the past week.

Topping the Charolais sale on Sunday at 16,000gns was Ballinlare Phantom, bred by Joe Wilson, Newry.

At the Simmental sale on Monday, NI bulls sold to 10,000gns. The top priced NI animal, Knockreagh Kilroy, was bred by Val and Conrad Fegan, Rostrevor.

Elsewhere, Kilbride Farm Kanye from the Robson family, Doagh, sold for 6,500gns.

Lower numbers

There was a much smaller presence of NI bred bulls at the UK’s premier sales in Stirling and Carlisle compared to the same sales in 2020.

New rules under the NI Protocol which came into force on 1 January means that breeding livestock purchased in Britain must have resided for six months before import to NI.

This meant bulls taken by NI breeders to sales in Britain are essentially on a one-way ticket.

At the Charolais sale, just one NI bull was entered, which is in stark contrast to previous years when NI bulls were in double figures.

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