- 40 bulls average £9,227 – £2,294 up on the year
- 91% clearance
- 68% sold between 4,000gns and 9,000gns
- 13 bulls sell to five figures
A tremendous strong display of top quality Limousin bulls was on show at the October Bull Sale at United Auctions, Stirling on Monday 20th October. Pedigree and Commercial buyers alike demonstrated their confidence in Limousin genetics, with strong robust bidding from the very first lot.
With Limousin-bred cattle dominating commercial trade in marts and abattoirs across the UK, the continued demand for Limousin bulls across all types of enterprise was evident, highlighting the breed’s appeal across the industry. A tremendous average and clearance were the focal point, with 91% of the 44 bulls forward heading to new homes at an average price of £9,227, up £2,924 on the year.
Leading the day’s trading at 36,000gns was Goldies Volvo from the Goldie family, Mouswald, Dumfries and Galloway. This culminated in a hugely memorable and successful weekend for the Goldie family, highlighted by the sale of their overall champion bull for 70,000gns at the Autumn Show and Sale of Limousin bulls in Carlisle, just two days earlier.
Goldies Volvo came through the intermediate section to be crowned the overall champion, under the watchful eye of judge John MacGregor of the Allanfauld herd, Kilsyth. No stranger to the show and sale ring, John, along with his father Archie, have sold bulls to 27,000gns, heifers to 18,000gns and have previously held the Stirling sale championship for three sales in a row.
On his champion, John commented “Overall I thought there was a great show of bulls, plenty of big, long powerful types that will suit the modern commercial market. My champion had a bit extra on the day, a bull with tremendous power, style and shape. He stood out the moment he walked into the ring and made my job easy on the day.”
Accompanying John in the ring was shadow judge Rachel Barr from Dumfries and Galloway who has previously completed the National Stockmanship Programme at the Highland Show.
Volvo is an April 2024-born bull and is sired by Ampertaine Opportunity, a Ampertaine Gigolo son. Volvo is out of the Goldies Juggler daughter Goldies Pleasure. He won first prize at the Highland Show in June and has a Beef Value of LM49, which is in the top 10% for the breed. He heads south to York as a new stock sire for the Garrowby herd, owned by Garrowby Farm.
Moments before the overall champion was sold, Anside Valor set the ring alight selling for 19,000gns to commercial producers A and E Grant, Perthshire. Brought forward for sale from the Irvine family, Valor is one of the first bulls presented for sale from their homebred stock bull Anside Superted and has double F94L myostatin. The Anside team enjoyed further success selling a total of four bulls averaging 11,750gns.
Third top price of the day at 16,000gns went to Elrick Valiant from Mr M J Massie. This April 2024-born bull was sired by the French sire Fuschia. He previously caught the eye of the judge in the pre-sale show being awarded second in his class to the overall champion. Valiant bull has a Beef Value of LM53, which is in the top 1% for the breed and growth traits in the top 10% for the breed. With double F94L myostatin, he sells to commercial producers G T Wordie based in Huntly, Aberdeenshire.
The Nimmo family, based in Wishaw enjoyed great success with a strong team of bulls forward from their Maraiscote herd, selling five bulls to average 12,200gns. Their pen leader was in the form of Maraiscote Vanadium who sold for 14,000gns to Peter Alexander, Mains of Mause, one of five purchases on the day for his renowned commercial herd. This Virginia Andy son has a gestation length in the top 1% of the breed.
Next in line for the Maraiscote herd was Maraiscote Vermillion selling for 13,000gns. This Morhan Peter son has myostatin F94L/F94L and has a Beef Value and growth traits in the top 10% of the breed. He sold to the commercial herd of T L Stirling at Carrbridge.
Selling away at 12,000gns was Corsairtly Vavavoom. A Whinfellpark Ronaldo son, he was tapped out as reserve senior champion in the pre-sale show. Vavavoom has double F94L myostatin and was part of the team of bulls heading to Peter Alexander Mains of Mause. The team of 4 bulls forward from the Davidson family averaged 8,000gns.
The sole entry from the Robertson family from their Fodderletter herd was Fodderletter Valiente selling at 11,000gns to the Scottish Government Bull Stud, one of four purchases on the day. This second prize winner is sired by Hartsideanew Shearer and is out of a Haltcliffe Dynamo daughter Overthwaite Nancy. Valiente had a successful summer winning Limousin champion at Nairn Show and reserve interbeed at the Black Isle Show.
Also selling at 11,000gns was Anside Venom from Mr and Mrs S Irvine, Banffs. Born March 2024, Venom has double F94L myostatin and a Beef Value of LM51, which is in the top 1% for the breed. He is sired by Anside Superted and out of the homebred cow Anside Shakira. Venom went home to commercial buyers J T and S A Cannon, Newton Stewart.
A consignment of three females were presented for sale from Mr W Lawson of the Windsole pedigree herd based in Perth and Kinross. They achieved an average of £2,975 with the top price walking out of the ring at 3,500gns.
Other leading prices;
BULLS
Lot 387 10,000gns Burnbank Uptownfunk from Messrs D and L Graham
Lot 411 10,000gns Dyke Vivaldi from Messrs J R MacGregor
Lot 415 10,000gns Anside Verve from Mr and Mrs Irvine
Lot 424 10,000gns Maraiscote Vain from Mr J Nimmo
Lot 439 10,000gns Grahams Vin from Mr and Mrs R and J Graham
FEMALES
Lot 442 3,500gns Windsole Ufemia from W Lawson
Lot 443 2,500gns Windsole Ulyssa from W Lawson
Lot 444 2,500gns Windsole Violet from W Lawson
-END-
Issued by the British Limousin Cattle Society Ltd
Photographer – Catherine MacGregor
