- 70 bulls average £5247
- Averages up £862 on the year
- Three bulls at 10,000gns and over
- 29 bulls in all at 5,000gns and over
- Clearance rate of 83%
- Bull sale grosses £367,290
Commercial beef producers led a strong demand for Limousin bulls at United Auctions’ Stirling market on Tuesday 4th February 2014 that saw 70 bulls average £5247, up by £862 on the year. Leading the way, at what was the British Limousin Cattle Society’s first collective bull sale of the 2014 year, was the 12,500gns paid for Elrick Handsome from Michael Massie, Mains of Elrick, Auchnagatt, Ellon, Aberdeenshire.
In the pre-sale show, this April 2012-born bull had been placed as Reserve Overall Supreme Champion and Senior Champion by the judge Gary Oag, who runs the Brims Herd at Brims Mains, Thurso, Caithness. Elrick Handsome is a heifer’s calf out of Elrick Emily and whose breeding goes back to the brood cow Goldies Isadora. Two years ago, the prolific Elrick herd won the Supreme Limousin Championship at Stirling with another bull from this same family line. The sire of Elrick Handsome is Craigatoke Dundee, a Haltcliffe Underwriter son, who was purchased at Carlisle in 2011. Handsome emerged from the bull’s second crop of calves for the Elrick herd which numbers forty cows.
Purchasing the top price bull, who also carried a Beef Value of LM+38, was Walter Cruikshank for his Clury pedigree herd at Clury Farm, DulnainBridge, Grantown on Spey.
Three bulls in all made five figures with the second top price being the 12,000gns paid for Newhouse Hartley from Messrs RM Adam & Son, Newhouse of Glamis, Glamis, Forfar, Angus. This upstanding bull weighed in at 1,065kgs and stood second in his class to the Reserve Junior Champion who also came from the Adam team. Newhouse Hartley is by Rosecroft Duke, a Grahams Unbeatable son that was purchased privately after Bob Adam had seen him whilst judging at the Royal Welsh Show. He is out of the homebred Newhouse Fay, a daughter of the 19,000gns Hudscales Bigboy. Carrying a big Beef Value of LM+46, Newhouse Hartley was purchased by Robert McNee, Over Finlarg, Tealing, Dundee.
The Newhouse herd, which comprises of 40 red cows, and 30 black cows, sold eight bulls in all to gross £45,465. Other prices included bulls at 6,400gns, 4800gns, and two at 4,500gns.
Commenting after the sale, BLCS Chief Executive Iain Kerr said: “As a whole, the sale saw a good quality, level show of bulls meet with a ready demand from predominantly commercial beef producers. The standard and consistency of bulls forward saw a strong middle trade with 29 bulls in all making over 5,000gns. To see averages up by £862 on the year and to sell 70 bulls from the 84 through the ring is excellent and reflective of the ongoing confidence in the breed. This sale very nicely tees up Carlisle on the 15th February where there will be another 190 Limousin bulls on offer.”
The Overall Supreme Champion and Intermediate Champion was Allanfauld Highland Park from Archie & John MacGregor. The Championship completed a unique hat-trick that has seen the herd lift the Overall Supreme award at three consecutive Limousin sales held at Stirling. Full of breeding, this June 2012-born bull is by the proven Sympa-sired Haltcliffe Underwriter, a bull purchased privately for the herd some three years ago, and is out of Allanfauld Chelsea described as one of the MacGregors’ ‘favourite’ cows in the herd. Commenting on his Champion, the judge Gary Oag said: “This was a great carcase animal with the style to go with it. He was full of muscle, had great width, impressive second thigh, and had the presence and breed character to go with it.” Purchasing the day’s Champion, who had a Beef Value of LM+33, at the 10,000gns mark was Balfour Baillie, Sebay Cottage, Tankerness, Orkney.
Messrs JR MacGregor, Dyke Farm, Milton of Campsie, Glasgow made 8,500gns when selling Dyke Highlander to Hartside Farms, Lammington, Biggar, Lanarkshire. A first prize winner from the first class of the day and the strong senior section, this March 2012 bull is by Cloughhead Delboy and is out of Dyke Amazon. Amazon is a full sister to Dyke Triumph who himself was sold for 7,000gns and has been a noted suckled calf breeder. The Dyke herd went on to sell Dyke Humbug for 5000gns, and Dyke Harry for 3800gns.
The Anside herd of Mr & Mrs Stephen Irvine, Braehead Farm, Drummuir, By Keith, brought a team of four bulls all by the 22,000gns stock bull Derriaghy Enfield owned in partnership with Harry Emslie. The Irvines met with due reward when securing 8,500gns for their first prize winner from the fourth class, Anside Harry. Another strong bull, who weighed 1015kgs, this Enfield son is out of the Fleethill Talisman daughter, Anside Catrina. Anside Harry was sold to England and the Middledale herd of Mr PR Byas, Middledale Farm, Driffield, East Yorkshire. Later in the sale Anside Hancock, a second prize winner to the Reserve Intermediate Champion, made 7200gns when selling to J Lyon, Little Kilchattan, Isle of Bute. Similar breeding saw this May 2012 bull sired by Derriaghy Enfield and out of another Fleethill Talisman daughter, Anside Elinor. The herd also sold Anside Highflyer for 5,000gns to J Ireland, Feoch Farm, Darvel, Ayrshire.
Local breeders Ian and Wendy Callion, Bolfornought Farm, Stirling, also made 7,200gns when selling their third prize winner Lodge Highlander. This bull is an AI calf got by the noted Wilodge Tonka son Hartlaw Excaliber and is out of a Ronick Urinocco daughter, Lodge Blossom. July 2012-born, and with a Beef Value of LM+36, Lodge Highlander was bought by G Yarr, Witton Farmhouse, Edzell, Brechin.
Picking up a first prize in the third class and a sale price of 7,200gns was Lauder Hilux from the establishing Lauder herd of John & Craig Connell, Wanton Walls, Lauder. This bull with both muscle and shape is by Homebyres Eagle, a Homebyres Vanhee son, and is out of Bapton Sparkle whose pedigree contains the noted Gabarit breeding. Purchasers of this bull were Lochty Farms, Anstruther.
The Spittalton herd of J Burnett & Sons, Upper Spittalton, Blair Drummond, Stirling brought a strong pen of six bulls that saw them gross an impressive £34,230 in all. Leading the way for them was the 7,000gns Reserve Senior Champion, Spittalton Harrier, which stood second to the day’s top price bull. This April 2012-born bull is by the herd’s homebred Spittalton Denzil, a Wilodge Vantastic son who has previously bred bulls up to 11,000gns. Harrier is out of the Middledale Shergar daughter Spittalton Ciggy. This bull was bought by JP Clark for the Kinnahaird pedigree herd at Contin, Strathpeffer, Ross-shire.
Picking up the Intermediate Championship and this time standing second to the Overall Supreme was the 6,800gns Spittalton Harley. This bull again combined some strong bloodlines being by the Ronick Luke son Lodge Equal and out of the Greensons Gigolo-sired Spittalton Figolo. May 2012-born, Spittalton Harley was purchased by MW Sloan, Daljedburgh, Barr, Girvan. Two Spittalton bulls made 6,500gns. The first of these was the May 2012 Spittalton Hyper. Got by AI this bull is by the noted 50,000gns Wilodge Cerberus and is out of the Wilodge Vantastic-sired Spittalton Derry. Spittalton Hyper was picked up by H MacKay, Wester Tomloan, Nairn, Morayshire. Also at the 6,500gns mark was Spittalton Hummer. June 2012 born, Hummer is by the Knock Atlas son Glassick Diego and is out of Clarkton Valerie, a Cloughhead Lord son. This bull now heads to GlasgowUniversity, Cochno Farm, Clydebank, Glasgow.
Messrs Ridley, Haltcliffe, Hesket New Market, Wigton secured a 7,000gns top price when selling the April 2012 Haltcliffe Hitman to JA Cruickshank, Coleburn, Longmorn, Elgin. Another strong bull who placed third in the second class of the senior section, Haltcliffe Hitman is by the 43,000gns Cloughhead Umpire and is out of the Sympa daughter Haltcliffe Versailles.
Kype Hurricane made 6,500gns when selling for Ron & Aileen Cruickshank, Little Kype Farm, Strathaven. Another bull from the strong senior section, the April 2012-born Hurricane is by the Irish-bred Crillaune Edric, a Fieldson Alfy son, and is out of the Cloughhead Lord daughter Kype Abigail. Purchasing this bull were RE Greaves & Son from Castle Hill Farm, Wheatley, Oxfordshire.
Averages:
70 bulls £5247 (+£862)
