Farming never stops and neither does the Irish Farmers Journal livestock team.

Numerous sales are planned over the festive period, from Antrim to Carlow, Leitrim, Cavan and Tipperary, and the livestock team will be ringside all across the country over the next seven to 10 days.

It’s been a bumper back-end for pedigree and breeding sales, with records smashed at several breeding centres over the last two months.

Christmas Belles in Carrick-on-Shannon - 28 December

Ronan Gallagher, owner the Enniscrone pedigree Texel flock, and Jimmy Garrivan, owner of the Clew Bay pedigree Texel flock, have built up a really successful Christmas sale in recent years.

This year's edition takes place on 28 December at the Midland and Western Livestock Improvement Society showgrounds in Carrick-on-Shannon, Co Leitrim.

One of the Texel hoggets entered for the Carrick Christmas Belles sale in Carrick-on-Shannon on Monday 28 September at 2.30pm.

This year’s sale will see 72 sheep go under the hammer, with a guest consignment of pedigree Texel ewes from Neville Myles’s Silverhill flock in Donegal.

The sale takes place at 2.30pm under strict COVID-19 compliance conditions.

Online bidding is available and enquiries can be directed to Ronan Gallagher on 087-983 7107.

Twighlight Texel sale in Cootehill - 29 December

The North Eastern Texel Club's annual sale of in-lamb shearling ewes takes place in Station Road Mart, Cootehill, Co Cavan, on Tuesday 29 December at 6pm.

This year’s sale will see 55 ewes catalogued from all the top flocks in the northeast region.

All sheep in the sale have been performance recorded and will have their €uroStars displayed in the catalogue.

The sale takes place at 6.30pm under strict COVID-19 compliance conditions.

Online bidding is available and enquiries should be directed to Michael Donohoe on 086-853 9096.

Lisduff pedigree Angus sale - 29 December

Leo McEnroe of the well-known Lisduff pedigree Aberdeen Angus herd has decided to run a special Christmas sale of 15 pedigree bulls and 15 pedigree heifers on his farm at Lisduff, Virginia, Co Cavan, on Tuesday 29 December at 4pm.

The sale includes some of the herd’s best genetics, with some impressive entries on both the male and female sides.

Online bidding is available and the sale will be conducted under strict COVID-19 compliance guidelines.

Enquiries to Leo on 086-638 4072.

Tullow Texel sale - 30 December

The South Eastern Texel Club will hold a southeast Texel stars sale of in-lamb shearling ewes and maiden ewe lambs in Tullow Mart, Co Carlow, on Wednesday 30 December at 6pm.

The sale will include 65 sheep from all the top flocks in the southeast.

The sale will be conducted under strict COVID-19 compliance guidelines and online bidding is available.

Enquiries to John Kidd on 087-248 0910.

Newport Christmas sale - 27 December

Newport Mart in Co Tipperary has a long tradition of holding a Christmas sale each year.

The sale on Monday 27 December includes a special dairy and suckler entry and always attracts national interest, with stock from last year’s sale travelling from as far away as Donegal.

This year’s sale won’t see the crowds of other years, as the sale will be operating under strict COVID-19 guidelines, but still promises to attract big online interest.

Online bidding will be available and enquiries about the sale should be directed to Newport Mart on 061-378 121.

Jalex heifer sale - 2 January

Saturday 2 January sees the first ever on-farm sale of in-calf heifers at the Jalex farm.

The main enterprise in the Jalex herd is the sourcing and supplying of beef breed suckler heifers.

James Alexander and his family source maiden heifers from all over Ireland, put them in-calf and sell them all across Ireland and the UK.

All heifers are vaccinated for BVD, pneumonia, clostridial disease and botulism.

The sale will take place on the Alexander farm, 88 Gloverstown Road, BT413HY.

The sale will include 50 top-quality in-calf heifers consisting of Belgian Blue, Simmental and Limousin crosses.

The sale will be conducted under strict COVID-19 compliance guidelines.

Online bidding is available and animals can be collected any time in the week after the sale.

All cattle can be exported to the UK. Enquiries to James Alexander on 0044-7816 775501.

For all our Christmas sale coverage check out www.farmersjournal.ie and the Irish Farmers Journal's social media channels over the festive period. All sales will also be covered in the 2 and 9 January print editions in the Irish Farmers Journal.