Factories lift lamb quotes to £6.40/kg

All factories in NI have increased base quotes for lambs by 10p to 20p/kg to £6.40/kg this week. At the 22kg weight limit, the new base quote leaves a fat lamb at £140.80.

The price lift comes as NI factories try to keep pace with a lively trade in local marts. Well-fleshed, heavy lambs have been making over the £145 mark.

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Suffolk ewes sell to 13,000gns

The Great Bonanza Suffolk Sale took place on Saturday, 1 November, at Ballymena Livestock Market, with 81 female Suffolk sheep from 12 NI breeders selling for an average of £2,528.

The top price of 13,000gns was paid on three occasions for in-lamb lots from the Bessiebell flock, owned by Jack Smyth and Emma McElhill, Newtownstewart. The next three top-priced lots also went to Jack and Emma, making 10,000gns, 8,500gns and 6,000gns respectively. Patrick Grant from the Caigdoo flock in Kilcoo secured 6,000gns for an in-lamb gimmer.

Abbott and Donnelly deliver at Ballymena

The annual springing heifer sale for Andrew Abbott, Hillsborough, in conjunction with the maiden heifer sale from Packie Donnelly, Ballymena, was held at Ballymena Livestock market on Tuesday 4 November. In the springing heifer section, 24 animals sold to an average of £3,765.

Topping the sale was a 30-month-old in-calf Limousin heifer, which sold for £4,700, followed by a 24-month-old Simmental heifer and a 30-month-old Charolais heifer, which both made £4,500.

Donnelly sold 44 maiden heifers for an average price of £2,788.64, with a 17-month-old, red roan Belgium Blue-bred heifer with future show potential, selling for £4,200.

Henderson is BGS farmer of the year

Kilkeel beef and sheep farmer, James Henderson has been named the 2025 farmer of the year by the British Grassland Society (BGS).

The awards evening at Caernarfon in Wales last Wednesday evening saw James, who was representing the Ulster Grassland Society, come up against two other finalists – Mike and Caroline Hawking, dairy farmers from Devon and James Witter, a dairy farmer from Cheshire.

Loughry to host dairy technology conference

The NI autumn conference organised by the Society of Dairy Technology takes place at CAFRE’s Loughry campus on Wednesday 12 November from 9.30am to 3pm.

The theme of the event is ‘Future proofing the dairy supply chain’ with speakers including Becki Reay from Kite Consulting, Kevin Maher, Dairy Sustainability Ireland, Prof Mark Fenton, Teagasc and Sam Wilkinson from Siemens.

The event is free to attend, with registration closing at 5pm on Friday 7 November. For more information, email: sdtni@sdt.org.

Genotyping to start in September 2026

Farmers in NI will be able to submit tissue samples for genotyping under the new bovine genetics project next autumn, Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir has said.

“From 1 September 2026, farmers will be able to supply genotypes from all dairy and beef animals to this database and access genetic merit information of their animals, based on the genotypes provided,” he said.

In response to a written question from Ulster Unionist MLA Diana Armstrong, Minister Muir said DAERA will cover genotyping costs in the initial stages of the scheme.

“The scheme will open on 1 September 2026 and will run until 15 May 2028. The Scheme duration will provide producers with a sufficient time period to genotype their current and future breeding animals, and an initial calf crop,” he said.

Half of British farmers could quit, study finds

A new report has revealed that 51% of farmers in Britain have considered leaving the industry in the past year due to the financial strain on their business.

Just 4% of the farmers surveyed as part of McCain Foods’ Farmdex report believe that current support from government is adequate.

Economic uncertainty, shifting policies and climate change are also among the reasons behind the poor sentiment.

Some 61% said their work negatively impacts their mental health while 36% work over 70 hours per week during peak seasons.