- Brockhurst Heifer sets Female Centre Record at 8,500gns
- 8,000gns Centre Record for Limousin Bulls
- 35 Bulls average £4,606
- Bull averages up £1,393 on year
- Sale grosses £530,000
- Wilodge Vantastic semen makes 900gns per straw
The British Limousin Cattle Society (BLCS) Breeders’ Sale and eighth annual Limousin Day held at Newark Market, Notts on Saturday 14th April 2012 on behalf of members of the East Midlands, and North West Midlands & North Wales Limousin Clubs, realised a strong trade for all classes of pedigree stock and set new centre record prices for both bulls and females. Grossing £530,000 for 178 head of pedigreeLimousin cattle, the sale set a breed centre record for bulls and females at 8,000gns and 8,500gns respectively.
Leading the trade at 8,500gns was the August 2009 born in-calf heifer, Brockhurst Exmoor, heading the 46-strong consignment from WJ & M Mash Ltd, Torrington Farm,Grove Lane, Chesham, Bucks. An embryo calf by the 55,000gns Grahams Samson, and out of the French dam, Reseda, byMalibu, she was sold PD’d in calf to BrockhurstEcuador. Purchaser was WD Wight, Whitrigghill,Melrose,Scotlandfor his Monkeypuzzle Herd.
Another from Messrs Mash took the day’s joint headline bull price at 8,000gns. This was for the May 2010 born Brockhurst Festival, sired by Brockhurst Columbus and out of the 2008 Royal Highland Show Champion, Brockhurst Batik. Securing this animal, as one of multiple purchases on the day, were Messrs RF Turner & Son, Bassingbourn Farm, Fordham, Ely, Cambs for their Bassingbourn prefix. For the same vendor, the senior herd sire, and Royal Show Junior Champion, Brockhurst Columbus, had got the sale off to a flying start being the first lot into the ring when selling for 7,000gns to W Mallon Livestock, Dereham.
Doug Mash’s Production Sale here saw around 20 cows and calves together with a similar same number of heifers forward from the noted Brockhurst Herd which was established in 1988. The majority of heifers were sold in-calf to Ronick Matador (Ronick Danita x Broadmeadows Cannon) or to Brockhurst Ecuador (Ronick McAinsi x Ronick Matador) and featured many of the herd’s top breeding lines (McAinsi, Reseda & Segala) as well as some of the top AI sires (Wilodge Vantastic, Grahams Samson & Imperial).
Edwards Franklin, who had earlier been put up as Overall Champion in the pre-sale show by judge Mr Frank Buckley, Co Cork, S Ireland took the joint top male price of 8,000gns when going under the hammer to WA Ketley, Church Road, Fingringhoe, Colchester for the Picketts pedigree herd. This two-year-old bull is a son of the prolific 42,000gns Wilodge Vantastic and was bred by Mr EJ Penty, Oak tree Farm, Burneston, Bedale, N Yorks whose pedigree herd numbers 50 cows and was established in 1991. With length and shape,Franklinis out of the dam, Camomile, who was bought privately fromFranceas a twelve-month-old heifer.
Achieving a 7,000gns price tag was the second prize-winning bull, Coachhouse Forrester, consigned by Messrs Heald & Co, Home Farm, Grove, Retford when snapped up by JE Mills, High Lodge Farm, Stanton-by-Dale, Ilkeston for the Irondale Herd. Sired by Overthwaite Crackerjack, who has sired progeny to 12,000gns (Coachhouse Frontline), this 21-month-old bull is out of the homebred dam and seventh calver, Coachhouse Tandolph.
Matching this figure was the Irish-bred Cloonagh Delicious from Mr C White, Frogmore Farmhouse, Moreton-in-Marsh, Glocs. Sired by Milbrook Tanko, and out of Marlhill Rebecca, this October 2008 born heifer was sold with her February born Fieldson Alfy-sired heifer calf at foot, Frogmore Hopeful. New owner is Mr N Carlisle, Newark.
At 6,200gns was Lowgate Finley brought out by Mr I Brown,Welbourn Lane, Holbeach, Spalding, Lincs. April 2010 born, Finley is by Maraiscote Cyclone, purchased atCarlislein May 2009 for 7,800gns. With a Beef Value of LM+28 combining easy calving traits, he now heads to Mrs J Wicks, Hall Farm, Mellis, Eye, Suffolk for her Meadix Herd.
RF Turner & Son bought a total of 45 pedigree lots at the sale which included a number of other leading prices as follows. At 6,000gns was the September 2010 born bull, Barts Freestyle, from RG Bartle & M Cormack of Upper Dinmore, Dinmore,Hereford. This one is by the 24,000gns Clydevalley Arty and is out of the Oxygene daughter, Wilodge Bream. At the same money was Brockhurst Evelyn, who is same-way bred as the 8,500gns top price of the day, Brockhurst Exmoor. Again, this one sold in-calf to BrockhurstEcuador. From the same home came Brockhurst Event when securing a final bid of 5,000gns. This 2009 born in-calf heifer, PD’d to Brockhurst Ecuador, is by the Broadmeadows Cannon grandson, Brockhurst Timbuktu, and is out of the Mereside Crackerjack-sired Brockhurst Heavenly. The Female Champion, Ironstone Tuityfruity, realised 5,200gns to the same buyer when consigned by Smiths of Bloxham, Newlands Farm,Milton Road, Bloxham, Banbury. Another by the noted Wilodge Vantastic, this November 2010 born heifer, sold with a Beef Value of LM+34, is out of the Jockey daughter, Tweedside Selma.
Other notable prices in the bull section were achieved by Scorboro Franco on behalf of JCG Bloom & Son, Decoy Farm, Scorborough, Driffield,E Yorks. An Ionesco son and out of the Mas Du Clo granddaughter, Scorboro Delroma, this November 2010 born Limousin bull sold with a Beef Value of LM+40 to Mr JJ Styles, Oaktree Grange, Shelton, Norwich for the Redcloud prefix.
The female trade, which saw 65 heifers overall average £2,126, also counted amongst it the May 2010 born maiden heifer, Moonleaze Fizz, from JJ & BD Comer, New Moonleaze Farm, Braydon, Swindon. Sired by Bernish Alfy and out of Moonleaze Anna, she heads at the 5,000gns mark to GH & VA Rutter, Poplar Farm, Sloothby, Alford, Lincs who run the Claymarsh pedigree herd.
Concluding the pedigree sale was an offering of semen which was topped by Wilodge Vantastic with 5 straws at 900gns each and a further 8 straws at 800gns each to Swalesmoor Farms, Allerbeck, Eaglesfield. Objat semen also sold to a top of 420gns.
Averages:
35 Bulls £4,606.71
49 Cows £2,874.21
23 Cows & Calves £3,615.65
65 Heifers £2,126.75
6 Calves £927.50
Auctioneer: Newark Livestock Market
