- 104 bulls average £7540, up £871 on the year
- Juniors average £10,834, a record section average.
- 87% clearance rate as 104 bulls of the 120 forward sell
- 20 bulls make five figures and over
- 59 bulls in all make 5000gns and over
- Bulls and females gross £891,398
Limousin bulls met with spectacular demand and a storming trade at the British Limousin Cattle Society’s early spring sale held at Borderway Mart on Saturday 17th February. Commercial producers were out in force, clearly in the market to buy the bulls of their choice, and the trade was bolstered by a super selection of breeder’s bulls. The sale again saw buyers looking for strong calving ease and all-round performance figures.
On a day where a remarkable 20 bulls made five figure prices and above, and 59 in all sold for 5000gns and over, the overall average was a mighty £7540 for the 104 bulls sold, up £871 on the year. Showcasing just how firm the demand was the sale delivered a clearance rate of 87%. In the particularly strong junior section, which included the pre-sale show Champion and Reserve, the average for the 28 bulls was an outstanding £10,834, a record section average for the Limousin breed at Carlisle.
Leading the day’s trade was the crowd pleaser Aultside Meanmachine from Garry Patterson, Upper Forgie, Aultmore, Keith. This smart bull came to Carlisle in top form, visually, and in terms of his breeding credentials, carrying good calving figures and two copies of the F94L ‘profit gene’. No stranger to success, Meanmachine won the Senior Limousin Championship and Overall Senior Continental Championship at Stirling’s Stars of the Future Calf Show held in the backend of last year and which had added to his pre-sale attraction. An embryo calf by Wilodge Cerberus and out of Spittalton Flush the August 2016 born bull is a full brother to the 55,000gns Aultside Hulk, the Intermediate Champion and top priced Limousin bull at Carlisle back in May 2014. He is also a full brother to the 18,000gns Aultside Mystique, who had stood the Reserve Female Champion at aforementioned Stars of the Future Show in 2017.
A pair of noted breeders made the winning bid in a split deal, Matt and Craig Ridley from the Haltcliffe Herd at Hesket New Market, Wigton, Cumbria and Lancashire based Procters Farm Ltd, Slaidburn, Nr Clitheroe, managed by Gary Swindlehurst.
Speaking at the close of the sale Craig Ridley said: “I have had my eye on this bull ever since I saw him at the Turriff Show and then judging him at the Stars of the Future Show last year, where I thought he was outstanding. He is a great bull with tremendous length and displaying width and power on tremendous legs. I have never seen him stand wrong. He carries a lot of style about him and has a deep quality pedigree”
Gary Swindlehurst added “The bull was a standout Champion with great presence and met you really well from the front. He had a tremendous width of top from his shoulders right through his loin to his plates. In this respect he reminded me very much of Haltcliffe Vermount.” Moving forward some semen will be taken for own use and the bull used thereafter. At present the Procters herd comprises of eighty pedigree cows.
In front of a sizeable crowd the day earlier Colin Phillips, who runs the noted Powerhouse herd at The Batch, Sarnesfield, Weobley, Herefordshire had placed Meanmachine as his Junior Champion and then Overall Supreme Champion in the pre-sale show. Commenting on his Champion Colin said: “Amid a fine display of Limousins, as soon as he walked in the ring he caught my eye, he showed so correctly every time I looked at him. With super width and meat in all the right places, he was perfect on his legs, demonstrating great mobility. He is an outstanding Limousin, a credit to the breeder and a clear choice for Champion”.
On what was a day to remember for Garry Patterson, who runs a small herd of pedigree Limousins, Meanmachine produced him a personal best sale price to date. After the sale a clearly delighted Garry said “As a calf he was always a stand out beast, I knew he was something special. While I had some confidence that he would do well, you never really know how things will turn out. The 65,000gns price tag is still beyond my wildest expectation and I am over the moon, he certainly lived up-to his name.”
Four other bulls sold for 20,000gns or more, with an internet bid of 30,000gns securing Ian Handley’s Gunnerfleet Mongo, from his Gunnerfleet herd based at Ingleton, Lancashire. A first prize junior bull on the day, and an embryo calf, Mongo is bred from the herd’s top cow Gunnerfleet Ilocks, a Plumtree Fantastic daughter that also bred the 22,000gns Gunnerfleet Lion and 14,000gns Gunnerfleet Landmart. Gunnerfleet Mongo, born September 2016, is by the AI sire Ampertaine Gigolo. This second top priced bull was knocked down to pedigree breeders A Renton & H Redden, Berwick upon Tweed. Speaking about his purchase from his home in Spain, Anthony Renton said “I was very impressed with the bull’s growth and width, and being heavily muscled he will complement the cows at Meadowrig very well. His dam line was another big factor in choosing the bull – going back to the Una line which needs no introduction”
Next up at 28,000gns was another junior class winner Lenagh Morpheus from Mark Stewart, Randalstown, Co Antrim. The September 2016 born embryo calf is bred from the Broadmeadows Cannon sired Lenagh Chanel and by the AI sire Plumtree Fantastic, a bull that has bred numerous five-figure sales for his owner Ian Handley. Morpheus is just as well-bred on his dam side; Chanel is daughter of Kype Ulay, who Mark purchased privately as a maiden heifer from the Kype Herd of Rona and Aileen Cruickshank. Lenagh Morpheus was purchased by the noted Wilodge Herd, Shifnal, Shropshire.
In another good day for Northern Irish breeders Co-Tyrone based Kieran McCrory received 22,000gns for his September 2016 born embryo calf Bernish Memphis who stood second to Lenagh Morpheus in class fourteen. Memphis is bred from the show heifer Bernish Julifortune, an Ampertain Elgin daughter who was the Female Champion at the NI calf show in 2015 and a winner at Balmoral Show in the same year. He is by the 23,000gns Fairywater Haig and also sold in a two-way split, this time to A H and K J Booth, Hardwick Hall Farm, Sheffield for their Sevengun Herd and along with G J Lee & C M Lloyd, Calogale Beef Semen Sales, Kidwelly, Carmarthenshire.
At 20,000gns came Telfers Munster, the Reserve Intermediate Champion, from Malcolm Telfer and Helen Claxton, a freelance stock partnership selling their first Limousin bull at auction. Munster, is a natural born calf by the AI sire Lodge Hamlet and bred from Telfers Imagination, the first home-bred female from their small herd who is out of their foundation female Goldies Florist. The bull sold in another two way arrangement, this time to Henry Savage and Sons, Newry, Co Down for their Trueman herd and Dan Tynan, Co Laois, Eire who runs the Ardlea and Elite pedigree herds.
Next up came the Reserve Junior Champion and Reserve Overall Champion Westpit MacGregor from A & J Gammie, Drumforber, Laurencekirk, Kincardineshire, at 15000gns. The youngest bull in the catalogue was knocked down to T W Oliver who runs the Cawfield Herd at Haltwhistle, Northumberland. Another sired by Ampertaine Gigolo but this time bred out of the Fieldson Alfy daughter Westpit Florence, one of the herd’s top cows. MacGregor, who won Reserve Junior Male Champion at Stirling’s Stars of the Future 2017 at 12 months old, carried a beef value of LM+51 which places him well into the top 1% of the breed.
Carnew Millreef came in at 14,500gns when selling to Aileen Ritchie, Burnside, Aberdeenshire. Consigned by J & J Aiken, Dromore, Co Down, this calf which stood second in class ten, is by Lyndberg Hero whose progeny includes the 20,000gns Lyndberg James, and is out of the Wilodge Vantastic daughter Carnew Erica.
Two lots made 14000gns. First at this price was class three winner in the shape of Norman Marley from E & E Norman, Little Orton, Carlisle. A natural calf born in April 2016, Marley is by the 13,000gns Whinfellpark Iago and out of the Claragh Franco daughter Norman Izzy. He was purchased by J W and M E Fieldson, Gainsborough, Lincolnshire for their Fieldson Herd. Making the same money was Kinniside Mejestic from G and A E Marrs and Sons, Cathow Farm, Cleator, Cumbria. This bull, who stood second in his class to the Supreme Champion, is by Dylans Irnbru and out of Kinniside Gracious, one of the herds’s best milking cows. He was bought for the Widdrington herd of H and H Annett, Morpeth, Northumberland.
In a fact worthy of note, the pre-sale show on Friday had turned into something of a ‘Scots Wha Hae’ with bulls from Scotland taking all three of the section championships. One of these bulls was next up in the price order. At 13,000gns came the Overall Senior Champion Anside Mexican from Anside Pedigree Livestock, Braehead Farm, By Keith, Banffs. This May 2016 born calf, by the herd stock bull Powerful Irish and out of Anside Endora went to the South West of Scotland when selling to W and T Nelson, High Kilphin Farm, Ballantrae, Girvan, Ayrshire.
The Intermediate Champion and the winner of class eight came in the shape of Ballinloan Messi from Stuart Fotheringham, Ballinloan, Dunkeld, Perthshire. This bull, who again carried tremendous performance figures, sold for 12,000gns when purchased by Richard Jones for his Montgomery herd at Llwynobin Farm, Montgomery, Powys. The July 2016 born Ballinloan Messi is one of the first calves to be offered for sale sired by the herd’s 29,000gns Foxhillfarm Jupiter and is out of Ballinloan Glitter, a Millgate Caesar daughter. Another strong day of trading for the Ballinloan herd saw Ballinloan Mickle sell for 10,000gns to John Galbraith & Son, Upper Kinneil, Linlithgow. Standing third in the same class as the Intermediate Champion this bull is another son of Foxhillfarm Jupiter and is out of Ballinloan Gucci.
Also at 12,000gns was Eniver Maybe from Michael McKeefry, Garvagh, Coleraine, Co Londonderry. By the prolific AI sire Ampertaine Foreman, and out of the Ronick Hawk daughter Eniver Alice, this was another bull with good calving figures and a Beef Value of LM+48. Buying this July 2016 born bull was Andrew Clark and family for their Mayfields pedigree herd at Hangram Lane Farm, Ringinglow, Sheffield. Three lots earlier the Eniver herd sold its other entry, Eniver Monk, for 9000gns to the Garmon herd of Mrs S. Lloyd Jones, Pant-Y-Coed, Chwilog, Pwllheli.
The only black bull in the catalogue, Esmors Black Mellor, from Esmor Evans, Monfa, Mold, Flintshire, was one of four bulls to make 11,000gns when selling to Andrew Beattie for his Tulliewhanland pedigree herd at Tullywhanland Farm, Aberlemno, Forfar, Angus. Born in May 2016, Esmors Black Mellor is by Knock Glencoe and is out of the full French cow Fourmi.
Another senior bull to make 11,000gns was the May 2016 born Saunders Master from A & W Watson, Slaggyford, Brampton, Cumbria who had stood third in class four. Sired by Wilodge Inspector this bull is out of Saunders Classylassie and a prolific dam line in the herd. Taking this bull home was the Lowardley herd of Gemma Common, Low Ardley, Hexham.
The very next lot saw the Reserve Senior Champion Burndale Milan from JE Henderson, Burn Tongues, Hexham, Northumberland make another 11,000gns price when selling to the noted commercial producers J Hunter & Sons, Steel Farm, Bellingham, Northumberland. Another May 2016 born calf, Burndale Milan is by the AI sire Huntershall Gladiator and is out of the Haltcliffe Vermount daughter Burndale Gemma.
The final bull to make 11,000gns was Loosebeare Masterfull from EW Quick & Sons, Loosebeare Manor, Crediton, Devon. Entirely homebred this first prize winner from class six is by the herd stock sire Loosebeare Fantastic and is out of the Haltcliffe Anzac daughter Loosebeare Dewdrop. Sporting terrific calving and all-round performance figures this June 2016 born bull went to the commercial producers J Leiper & Sons, Black Heddon, Ponteland, Newcastle Upon Tyne. Standing third in the same class was the similarly bred Loosebeare Mertesacker. Another by Loosebeare Fantastic, and out of another Haltcliffe Anzac daughter, Loosebeare Georgia, this bull made 9000gns. Again carrying some strong calving figures this bull was bought by D&DW Prickett, Farleton, Carnforth, Lancashire.
Clive Knox, Cragside, Kelso made 10,500gns when selling the June 2016 born Beachmount Major. Described as long and clean with plenty of width this calf, which stood second in class seven, is by the noted AI sire Sympa and is out of Liscarn Goldengirl. Again continuing the pattern of bulls with strong performance and calving figures Beachmount Major was purchased by Andrew Cowx for his Hudscales pedigree herd at Hesket New Market, Wigton, Cumbria.
A first prize winner in class nine of the strong Intermediate section was Goldies Muskateer from Bruce Goldie, Townfoot, Mouswald, Dumfries. This July 2016 born bull is by Foxhillfarm Irishlad and is out of Goldies Honeycombe. Carrying a huge Beef Value of LM+65 this bull was sold for 10,000gns to the Longhirst pedigree herd of JE Jordon & Son, Longhirst, Morpeth, Northumberland.
Eagleside Mustang from Thomas Illingworth, Howgillside, Lockerbie, Dumfries made 10,000gns when being purchased by J Thompson for their Hartsideanew herd at Townfoot, Melmerby, Penrith, Cumbria. The first prize bull in class eleven, Eagleside Mustang is by the AI sire Ameprtaine Gigolo and is out of Glenrock Jewel.
At the close of the sale the British Limousin Cattle Society’s Chief Executive Iain Kerr said: “It’s been a fantastic sale and there’s such a strong demand from the commercial sector with buyers readily competing with pedigree breeders for the bulls of their choice. Buyers are looking for bulls with the carcase traits that the breed is renowned for and coupled with good calving ease and all-round performance figures. Today we’ve seen fifteen new commercial buyers purchase along with pedigree breeders and repeat commercial buyers. The combination of age to slaughter, meeting target weights and grades, and high killing out and beef yield, the breed is meeting market requirements and driving a profit for producers and right through the supply chain.”
AVERAGES:
36 Senior Bulls £5670.00
40 Intermediate Bulls £6916.88
28 Junior Bulls £10833.75
104 Bull Overall £7539.81 (+£871.39)
