- 46 bulls sold, up by 13 on the year
- Bulls average £4247, up by £519
- 87% clearance rate
- 16 bulls at 5000gns and over
- Bull Sale grosses £195,362
- Windsole heifer makes 5000gns
A strong trade at the British Limousin Cattle Society’s May 2014 Stirling Sale, held within United Auction’s Multibreed sale on Monday 5th May, was led at 8,000gns by Grahams Highgold. An AI son of the French-bred Tigris and out of Ulala, dam of the 9,000gns Grahams Chelsea and 7,000gns Grahams Edith, this September 2012-born bull was consigned by Mr & Mrs R & J Graham, Airthrey Kerse, Bridge of Allan, Stirling. Carrying polled genetics and with a Beef Value of LM+44, the second prizewinning Grahams Highgold was purchased by noted commercial producer Peter Alexander, Mains of Mause, Blairgowrie. Also heading to Mains of Mause was the 5,000gns Harestone Hermes from Neil Barclay, South Road, Insch. This red ticket winner is an embryo calf by Mas Du Clo and out of Drummin Peach, a Moustic daughter and previous All Ireland Champion, and carried a Beef Value of LM+33. The two purchases at Stirling added to the 18,000gns and 6,500gns purchases at the Carlisle sale on Saturday May 3rd for this 1,000 cow commercial enterprise.
A good show of bulls met with a strong demand from commercial producers as the Limousin bulls led the trade both in numbers sold and averages. 46 bulls sold, 13 up on the year, to average £4247, an increase of over £500 on the 2013 trade. Sixteen bulls in all sold at 5000gns and over with an 87% clearance rate and a bull sale gross of £195,362. Commenting, United Auctions auctioneer John Roberts said: “This is the best show of Limousin bulls we have seen at a May Sale at Stirling. There was a ready demand from commercial producers for bulls that had size, shape and figures”.
The Stirling sale followed hard on the heels of the Society’s May Sale at Carlisle two days previously that had seen averages and numbers sold up with 114 bulls averaging £6290. Picking up on the demand for the breed, BLCS Chief Executive Iain Kerr said: “In the last two weeks we have seen over 250 Limousin bulls sell at four Society Sales around the UK with averages and numbers sold up on the year. The Limousin breed is producing cattle with the carcases, conformation, consistency and weights required by the market place, but with less costs in terms of inputs. Putting less in and getting more out is profit and good economics for farmers.”
The judge Andrew Gammie, who runs the 20 cow Westpit herd at Drumforber, Laurencekirk, had tapped up Goldies Hustler from Bruce Goldie, Townfoot, Mouswald, Dumfries as the pre-sale Champion. October 2012-born, Hustler sold for the second top price of the day of 7,800gns to Mountquhanie Farms, Cupar, Fife. By the 22,000gns Hartlaw Excaliber, he is out of the Goldies Terence daughter Goldies Divaqueen and carried a Beef Value of LM+57 the highest in the catalogue. The sale continued a good run of prices for the herd with Hartlaw Excaliber sired sons, with three at the Carlisle sale having sold for 9000gns, 7000gns, and 5000gns respectively. The Wilodge Tonka sired Hartlaw Excaliber was the National Show Limousin Male Champion in 2011. Commenting on his Champion bull the judge Andrew Gammie said: “This is a very powerful bull, good on his legs, well balanced and with a very good end”.
Local breeder Andrew Burnett, Upper Spittalton, Blair Drummond, Stirling made a top price of 6800gns when selling Spittalton Harbro to TW Oliver who runs the Cawfield herd at Cawfields Farm, Haltwhistle, Northumberland. June 2012 born, Spittalton Harbro is by Hargill Blaze and is out of the Middledale Shergar daughter Spittalton Bertha. The Spittalton herd also sold bulls in the sale at 3500gns, 3800gns, and 4000gns respectively.
The first bull in the ring, Fedneyhouse Harley from TJ Adams, Banbridge, Co Down, N. Ireland, made 6000gns. April 2012 born this bull is by the 22,000gns Guards Boomer whose progeny have sold up to 38,000gns. He is out of the French cow Napolie a Faignant daughter. Fedneyhouse Harley was bought by Lochty Farm Ltd, Arncroach, Anstruther. Four lots later Ian Nimmo, Bogside Farm, Newmains, Wishaw also made 6000gns when selling Maraiscote Hugo to R&J Greenlaw, Balgairn Farm, Dinnet, Aberdeenshire. Another son of the herd’s noted stock bull Virginia Andy, the May 2012 born Hugo is out of the Normande Urquhart daughter Maraiscote Calypso. Maraiscote also had the day’s Reserve Champion Maraiscote Hawkeye, another Virginia Andy son, who sold for 4000gns to T Howden, Stanley Farm, Perth.
Following his judging stint at Carlisle, Martin Irvine, Braehead Farm, Drummuir, Banff, was back in selling action at Stirling when making 6000gns for Anside Hornet. A heifer’s calf, the August 2012 born Hornet is by the 22,000gns Broadmeadows Cannon son Derriaghy Enfield and is out of Anside Elma. Purchasing this bull was JA Wallace & Sons, High Glentriplock, Whauphill, Newton Stewart. In all the Anside herd sold five bulls on he day to gross just under 22,000gns.
Donald MacGregor, Dyke Farm, Milton of Campsie, Glasgow sold Dyke Hurricane also at the 6,000gns mark. By Cloughhead Delboy, a Genial grandson, he is out of Dyke Cava, an Ardbrack Taketime daughter, dam of the 10,000gns Dyke Galaxy. He sold with a Beef Value of LM+36 to Messrs Fisher, Logiealmond, Perth. The herd went on to sell Dyke Hotrod, a Wilodge Cerberus son and out of the dam Dyke Flame for 4,800gns. With a Beef Value of LM+45, Hotrod was knocked down to RSPB, Isle of Islay. The same buyers snapped up the first prize winner in the last class, Tweeddale Haggis, at 5,800gns. Consigned by Jonathan Watson, Bowsden Moor, Berwick-Upon-Tweed, this Newhouse Cyclone son is out of Tweeddale Diva, a Hafodlas Bedwyr daughter, and carried a Beef Value of LM+45.
Two bulls in all secured final bids of 5,500gns. Lauder Hobnob from John & Craig Connell, Wanton Walls, Lauder was snapped up by the Scottish Government Bull Stud, Knocknagael Farm, Inverness. By Homebyres Eagle, this September 2012 bull is out of Greenwell Favourite, a Vagabond daughter. Also at 5,500gns and heading to the same buyers was Glenrock Hector brought out by Stephen Illingworth, Howgillside, Eaglesfield, Lockerbie. Having stood second in his class to the pre-sale champion, this October 2012-born bull is by Carmorn Copilot and is out of the Bremore Artist daughter, Glenrock Dior.
Realising 5,400gns was the second prizewinning bull Strawfrank Hugo from Allan Campbell, Strawfrank Farm, Carstairs Junction, Lanark. By Tehix, he is out of the Casimir daughter Greenwell Finesse and was bought by Messrs Moleigh.
A small offering of seventeen heifers was topped at 5,000gns by the April 2012-born heifer, Windsole Henrietta, from William Lawson, Rahalloch, Windsole, Auchterarder. The purchaser was David Orr, Crossgates, Fife for his Keirsbeath Herd. This Millington Dominator daughter is out of Windsole Utopia, by Greensons Gigolo and is maternal sister to Windsole Caroline who was Junior Champion and Reserve Female Champion at the 2008 Royal Highland Show.
The offering from Andrew Burnett’s Spittalton Herd, Blair Drummond, Stirling peaked at 2,600gns twice. The first to make this was Spittalton Hello, by Lodge Equal and out of the Hargill Blaze-sired Spittalton Eugene. She was sold in-calf to Maraiscote Gigolo to Christopher Dick. Andrew Waugh from Kilnstown Farms paid the same money to secure the April 2013-born Spittalton Ingot. By Ampertaine Commander, she is out of Spittalton Flourish, again by Hargill Blaze.
Averages:
46 Bulls (+13) £4,247 (+£519)
Auctioneer: United Auctions
