The overall champion calf at the Northern Ireland Charolais Club’s show and sale of suckled calves sponsored by the Ulster Bank at the Ulster Farmers Mart, Enniskillen, was a 432kgs heifer which sold for £1,190 belonging to Declan McKenna.

Judge, Alan Morrison from Maguiresbridge, selected the heifer belonging to Declan as the first prizewinner in the heifer section while the top male calf was a 448kgs Charolais belonging to Gordon Cutler, Bellanaleck, which sold for £1,040. It was selected as overall reserve champion.

The full results were; Male calf - 1,Gordon Cutler, 48kgs,£1040; 2, Stephen Millar,336kgs,£1010;3,Declan McKenna,410kgs,£970.

Female Calf -1,Declan McKenna,432kgs,£1190; 2, W. Hoey, 371kgs, £920; 3, Alan Veitch,383kgs,£900.

Ann Orr, secretary of the Charolais Club, said this year again, Ulster Bank sponsored the 10 suckled calf shows for the Club.

She said: “Great trade is being recorded at our suckled calf shows and sales for 2015 born charolais cross calves. Customers are travelling across of the province to attend sales, paying top prices for quality calves that will have a high daily liveweight gain and kill out well.

“Generally Charolais cross calves are making £100 - £150 more than other beef breeds this autumn. Top of the shows calves are £1500 and 1420 with the highest prices per kilo. Charolais calves make choice finishers returning a premium price every time. At the end of the day, processors reap the benefits when finishing Charolais crosses finish much earlier than other continental crosses,” she said.

Among the judges at the various shows were a number of local breeders including Eimear and Caoimhe McGovern of Clogher at the Ballymena Show; Clive Hoey, Fivemiletown at the Swatragh Show, The NI Charolais Club Show and Sale will be held at Dungannon Farmers Mart on Friday, November 6 offering 45 bulls and 18 females.The Show begins at 11am and the sale at 1pm. To view catalogue www.britishcharaolis.com or call Dungannon Mart 028 8772 2727.