The much-anticipated major reduction of the Spittalton herd took place on Friday 2nd August 2024 at Borderway Mart. The Burnett family, Blair Drummond, Stirling, established their herd in 1993 and it has grown to become one of the largest pedigree herds in Scotland. The family felt that the time has come to reduce this notable herd, with semi-retirement looking inviting as their trusted stockman of 18 years, Tim Russell, is off to begin his own business.
The Spittalton herd are three-time Scottish Herd Competition winners, it was fantastic to see the whole herd together filling the mart, the feeling was electric around the ring during the sale. The stock looked superb and was described as “a proper Limousin herd”, Andrew and Family can be proud to have bred such a spectacular herd of cattle. The ring was filled with potential buyers from seasoned pedigree breeders to those beginning their pedigree journeys, this consignment of stock are sure to make an impact and lasting impression in the herd book for years to come.
75 lots lined up to go under the hammer for the herd, which achieved a top price of 14,000gns twice. Cows and heifers with calves at foot averaged £5,502, in calf cows and heifers £3,465, maiden heifers £3,117, in calf recipients £2,016 and the only stock bull on offer went for 9,000gns.
The first of the two 14,000gns top priced lots was Lot 27 Spittalton Rena and heifer calf at foot Spittalton Urena. This May 2020-born and double F94L carrying cow was sired by Burnbank Judge, a notable sire for the herd who was purchased at Carlisle in May 2016 and has gone on to breed them over 100 progeny, with a previous top priced daughter Spittalton Norma making 11,000gns at last August’s reduction sale. Bred out of homebred cow Spittalton Faith, a Spittalton Chopper daughter, Rena was sold with her calf Spittalton Urena, an October 2023-born heifer who is sired by the 18,000gns Westpit Omaha. Rena and her calf were purchased by Allan Campbell, of the Strawfrank pedigree herd, Carstairs Junction, Lanark.
The very next outfit through the ring, Lot 28 Spittalton Ranna and calf Uranna, were the other set to go under the hammer at 14,000gns and this time caught the eye of Robert Thomson, of the Cairnbog herd, Kilsyth, Glasgow. A double F94L myostatin gene carrier with a top 10% beef value of LM44, Ranna is another May 2020-born cow also sired by Burnbank Judge, but this time out of the Lodge Equal-sired Spittalton Ianna. She was sold with her nine month old heifer calf Uranna who is sired by the Irish-bred Milbrook Playboy.
Hot on the heels of the top price position was Lot 10 Spittalton Mia selling for 12,000gns. Sold with her bull calf Spittalton Uniform, who is a nine month old son of the 40,000gns Ampertaine Opportunity, the pair went home with Josh Knaggs of the Jorica herd, Sadberge, Darlington. The October 2016-born Mia has an EBV of 29 for 200-day growth putting her in the top 10% of the breed, she is sired by the 22,000gns Huntershall Jeronimo, out of Spittalton Happy, who goes back to Sympa, and has previously bred sons to 6,500gns.
Lot 24 Spittalton Rebecca, a four year old cow with a back pedigree through the dam line leading to Spittalton Derry, sold for 10,000gns. Rebecca is sired by the homebred stock bull, Spittalton Omar and out of Spittalton Olga, a daughter of the 140,000gns Trueman Jagger. Another double F94L carrier, she has top 10% EBV’s for both 200 and 400 day growth. Sold with Spittalton Uncork, her promising nine month old bull calf, they are off to enjoy a new home with Peter Littleson, Glenbarr, Tarbert Argyll.
Another cow and calf combination to go for 10,000gns was Lot 42, Spittalton Sweetpea and Spittalton Vance. With a nature as sweet as her name and top 10% EBV’s for growth, Sweetpea is off to enjoy pastures new with J and C Wright, North Grimston, North Yorkshire. Sweetpea, who has a myostatin status of F94L/F94L, is out of homebred Spittalton Loreen, a Dinmore Hitman daughter, and sired by Whinfellpark Lomu, a notable AI sire who has bred progeny to 20,000gns. Her February-born bull calf Vance is sired by the homebred Spittalton Smithy.
The Burnett family had one bull up for sale on Friday, in the catalogue as Lot 48, the aforementioned Spittalton Smithy went under the hammer to Jessica Marwick & Robert Coney, Glenogle, Westruther Gordon for 9,000gns. This F94L/NT821 bull has been used mostly on heifers, with an excellent temperament has produced good shapely calves, the proof of which was seen from the previous mentioned lot. Sired by the impressive Mereside Lorenzo and out of Spittalton Oansy, a Dinmore Jeanpierre daughter, this bull with a carcase weight EBV which places him in the top 1% of the national herd, is sure to produce excellent progeny in the future.
The top priced in-calf cow at 4,500gns was Lot 71 Spittalton Timpulse. This two year old Ampertaine Opportunity daughter out of Spittalton Limpulse, who has top 10% EBV’s for muscle depth, beef value and calving interval, was sold in calf to Spittalton Smithy and goes on to join the Waters herd of JM wood, Penrith, Cumbria.
Ronick Production Sale
As an extra attraction to buyers, the Ronick herd also had 18 lots up for sale at Borderway, which averaged £3,999 with a top price of 6,000gns. The herd has been established for 44 years by the Dick Family, Mains of Throsk Farm, Stirling. With a 250 strong pedigree herd, they pride themselves on producing top quality females that are proven to deliver strong bloodlines.
Topping their production sale was Lot 65. Andrew Beattie bid 6,000gns to secure this cow and calf combination, Ronick Rumba and Ronick Vesper, and they both dance their way to Forfar, Angus to join the Tulliewhanland Limousin herd. Rumba, who carries double F94L myostatin genes, is by Wilodge Granville, who joined the herd in 2012 and out of Ronick Jamaica. Her calf Ronick Vesper who was sold along side her, is a four month old black coated bull, sired by the 45,000gns herd sire Ampertaine Jamboree.
Frogmore
Adding to this sale was an animal from the Frogmore herd of Chris and Nicky White, Moreton-In-Marsh, Gloucestershire, who was unable to be sold at the herds reduction sale last July. With an impressive pedigree behind her Frogmore Tinsel is sired by the 38,000gns Ampertaine Foreman and out of the 16,000gns Frogmore Nicola, who was unbeaten in her showing career winning three Interbreed Championships. Putting their hand up and claiming the final bid of 4,800gns on this 20 month old heifer was JA Edgar, Dalbeattie, Dumfries and Galloway.
Additional leading prices
Lot 15 Spittalton Onyx and calf at foot Spittalton Unyx sold for 9,000gns to Robert Thomson, Cairnbog Farm, Kilsyth.
Lot 31 Spittalton Rainbow and calf at foot Spittalton Upover sold for 9,000gns to WR, RG & RS Whitley, Haulfryn Farming, Buckley Clwyd.
Lot 16 Spittalton Oerry and her calf Spittalton Virginia sold for 6,000gns to J Graham, Mains of Burnbank, Stirling.
Lot 22 Spittalton Palaxy and her calf Spittalton Uptowngirl sold for 6,000gns to Lotherton Estates, Leeds.
Lot 40 Spittalton Sharon and her calf Spittalton Valentina sold for 6,000gns to John Clayton, Bradford, West Yorkshire.
Lot 75 Russells Toots sold for 5,800gns to H Wearing & Son, Everingham, York.
Lot 20 Spittalton Pigolo and her calf Spittalton Vigolo sold for 5,500gns to H Wearing & Son, Everingham, York.
Lot 39 Spittalton Sylvia and her calf Spittalton Victoria sold for 5,500gns to TW Bell & Son, Hilltop farm, Keswick.
Lot 43 Spittalton Sherry and her calf Spittalton Violet sold for 5,500gns to R & JP Mulholland, Great Orton, Cumbria.
Lot 19 Spittalton Oney and her calf Spittalton Voney sold for 5,200gns to James Baillie, Tankerness, Orkney.
Lot 21 Spittalton Pade and her calf Spittalton Udder sold for 5,000gns to J & C Wright, North Grimston.
Lot 25 Spittalton Rejoice and her calf Spittalton Ujoice sold for 5,000gns to Lotherton Estates, Leeds.
Lot 41 Spittalton Senga and her calf Spittalton Vicky sold for 5,000gns to S Barker, Harrogate.
Lot 66 Ronick Reanne and her calf Ronick Veanne 5,000gns sold for 5000gns to L Wilson, Westwood, Nottingham.
Lot 14 Spittalton Oanna and calf Spittalton Valor sold for 4,800gns to Miller farms, North Lurg, Inverurie.
Averages
Spittalton
- 47 cows and heifers with calves at foot £5,502
- 10 in-calf cows and heifers £3,465
- 16 Maiden heifers £3,117
- 5 in calf recipients £2,016
- 1 stock bull £9,450
Ronick
- 12 cows and heifers with calves at foot £3,999
Frogmore
- 1 Maiden Heifer £5,040
