‘COVER GIRL’ ALLANFAULD LATINO SELLS FOR 10,000GNS TO LEAD THE MAJOR REDUCTION SALES OF THE ALLANFAULD AND BRECONSIDE HERDS
- Allanfauld Latino top price at 10,000gns
- Eight animals in all make 5000gns or more
- Sale grosses £214,809
On Friday 30th September a crowd of new and established breeders made their way to Borderway, Carlisle to see the major reduction sales from the Breconside herd of Peter and Merlin Dernie, trading as Breconside Farming Partners, Moffat, Dumfriesshire and the Allanfauld herd on behalf of Archie and John MacGregor (Allanfauld), Kilsyth, Glasgow. The British Limousin Cattle Society Breeders’ Sale with a catalogue entry of 95 pedigree Limousin cattle saw a strong clearance rate of 88% across the two herds, again confirming the strong and ongoing demand for Limousin females seen in the year to date.
Leading the sale was the ‘catalogue cover’ girl in the form of the stylish and shapely June 2015 born heifer Allanfauld Latino. Latino, who was purchased as a frozen embryo from Stuart and Neil Barclay of Harestone, is sired by Millgate Fame and out of the Mas Du Clo sired cow Millburn Caoimhe. After a flurry of telephone bidding Allanfauld Latino was knocked down for 10,000gns and now heads to the herd of Brass Castle Pedigrees, Stockton on Tees, care of Hughes Brothers, Gary and Joseph who bought the heifer in partnership with Fergal Donnelly. Commenting after the sale Gary Hughes said, “We feel that Latino is a top class heifer and has the complete package in terms of the style and shape needed these days, including a superb pedigree. Our plans are to flush her a couple of times before putting her in calf.”
Commenting further Gary went on to say, “we run around 400 head of cattle on the farm currently with around 100 of them being pedigree Limousins. Over the last couple of years we have invested a lot of time and money into the breed and our plans are firmly set out to really try and go places and present some top quality cattle at Limousin Society sales.”
Hughes brothers Gary and Joseph along with Fergal Donnelly have invested in some high profile genetics in the last year alone which include seven females purchased at the Red Ladies sale at Borderway, Carlisle in December 2015. This year at the BLCS Breeders’ Sale the night before the February bull sale, the trio purchased three of the top priced heifers with all coming from the Roxburgh herd of John Elliot, Roxburgh Mains, Kelso.
The second top price selling for 6,000gns was the seven year old cow Allanfauld Elizabeth who was noted in the catalogue as being possibly the herd’s best cow forward for sale. She is sired by the homebred sire Allanfauld Cracker and out of the dam Allanfauld Tulip. Sold with her January born bull calf at foot Allanfauld Malibu, sired by Knockcroghery Hero, Allanfauld Elizabeth was purchased by Archie MacGregor’s daughter Catherine. A consistent breeding female, her first son Allanfauld Gerrelglen, sired by Haltcliffe Underwriter had sold for 6,000gns whilst her second son, Allanfauld Invincible, sired by Wilodge Fastrac sold for 10,000gns at Carlisle in May 2014.
Also at 6000gns was Allanfauld Greta, sired by the Siam son Cappaduff Aaron and out of the dam Allanfauld Varbo. This May 2011 born cow was sold suckling her smart August born bull calf Allanfauld Malky, sired by Sherry Gigolo. Purchasing this outfit were pedigree breeders W. Robertson and son who run the Fodderletter herd at Ballindalloch, Banffshire. Confirming the quality of this cow family Allanfauld Greta is from the same line as Allanfauld Fleure and Allanfauld Felsea who sold for 4,500gns and 5,200gns respectively.
One of the youngest heifers in the sale, Allanfauld Lindaree, made 5,500gns when selling to Garry Patterson, Upper Forgie, Keith, Banffshire. Allanfauld Lindaree was described in the catalogue as one of the herd’s favourites who carried power, style and shape. This June born daughter of the Ampertaine Commander sired Knockcroghery Hero, who himself was purchased from the Irish Premier Bull Sale in March 2014 and used as one of the main stock bulls within the Allanfauld herd until he unfortunately injured himself during the summer of 2016. However, the bull has really left his stamp on the herd and sired a number of calves forward in the sale with his first sons being offered next month at the Premier Society Sales.
The aforementioned Allanfauld Felsea made 5200gns when selling to Messrs Jones, Pencefn, Pentir, Bangor, Gwynedd. April 2010 born Felsea is another by Allanfauld Cracker and is out of Allanfauld Chelsea. She was sold with her third calf at foot, the May 2016 born heifer calf Allanfauld Merton a Knockcroghery Hero daughter. Allanfauld Chelsea’s previous calves include the 10,000gns Allanfauld Highlandpark.
Two further animals made 5000gns. The first of these was the six year old Allanfauld Fortina, another Allanfauld Cracker daughter, who is out of Allanfauld Cortina. She was sold with her heifer calf at foot Allanfauld Martini who is another by Knockcroghery Hero. Purchasing Allanfauld Fortina, who is a maternal sister to the 10,000gns Allanfauld Ibrox, was Messrs Watson who run the West Newlands pedigree herd at West Newlands Farm, Frosterley, Bishop Auckland.
The very next lot, Allanfauld Forte, also made 5000gns when selling to the Hafesp herd at Red House Farm, Aberhafesp, Newtown, Powys. Allanfauld Forte is by Cappaduff Aaron and is out of Allanfauld Choir. This May 2010 born cow was sold with her fourth calf at foot Allanfauld Melody who is again by Knockcroghery Hero. The Hafesp herd made two further purchases of Allanfauld Fame and Allanfauld Fopium at 4000gns respectively.
The major reduction sale from the Breconside herd was being held due to changes in staffing arrangements. Established in 2001 after the foot and mouth outbreak the herd had a policy from the outset of breeding sound pedigree cattle for the commercial breeder. Predominantly natural service the herd has seen considerable success from the stock bull Kaprico Atlas. Used heavily within the herd, his first 20 sons sold at BLCS Society Sales at Borderway, Carlisle averaged £5,533 with a high of 8,000gns.
The ‘honest, hard-working’ cattle offered for sale were backed up by a very good herd health status. Leading the sale was the herd’s current senior stock bull Foxhillfarm Incredibull which sold for 5000gns. Sired by Guards Boomer and out of the dam Bankdale Elizabeth, Incredibull was the sire of a number of the calves forward in the sale. The Purchaser of Foxhillfarm Incredibull was W Steel & Co, North Cumberhead, Lesmahagow, Lanarkshire.
Just behind Incredibull and second top price for the herd on the day at 3100gns was another stockbull Kaprico Fleuron. This six-year-old bull bred by Carol Stafford, Houghton Le Spring, Sunderland, is by Wildoge Tonka and is out of Kaprico Chrysanthemum. Purchasing this bull was M Linkleter, West Farm, Kirkheaton, Newcastle Upon Tyne.
AVERAGES:
Allanfauld Herd
- 21 cows & heifers served and/or suckling £3825.00
- 15 served & maiden heifers £3087.00
Breconside Herd
- 24 cows & heifers served and/or suckling £1990.63
- 4 in calf heifers £1968.75
- 16 yearling heifers £1271.81
- 2 stock bulls £4252.50
- 2 young bulls £1837.50
Auctioneers – Harrison & Hetherington Limited, Carlisle
