Selective trade for Charolais at Stirling

BULL SALES: Buyers’ market for breed

Charolais sires were the last of the long entry of bulls to enter this week’s pedigree sale ring at Stirling, where trade for the breed could most generously be described as selective.

It was clearly a buyers’ market when only 83 of the 132 sires forward were sold to average £5,674, well down from last year’s average of £7,085 when 80 bulls found buyers.

The atmosphere around the ring was mainly sombre but a handful of fivefigure prices – topping at 18,000gns – spiced the day’s trade.

Breed chairman Andrew Hornall acknowledged the sale had been sticky, but insisted Charolais breeders were working on sorting out long-standing problems with difficult calving, and achieving high health status.

He also argued that the breed was suited to modern carcase specification demands so long as calf producers took a commercial approach and finished their stock quickly.

Mr Hornall, who runs the Falleninch herd of Charolais at Stirling, said Charolais cross heifers could finish at 15-16 months and bullocks at 17-18 months, or even earlier.

And he said some of the younger bulls would be back at Stirling in February, when he predicted higher demand as producers switched to spring-born calves.

“Charolais calves at Stirling have been topping the sales every week, especially spring-born calves selling in the autumn.

“If we could get calves away quicker, and in the future there will be a realisation that the bottom line will count, that is what will drive profit for any business.

“We’ll be back as a force in the future,” he said.

Reserve champion sire Goldies Linford made the day’s top price of 18,000gns for Hamish Goldie of Bowerhouses, Dumfries.

He was bought by the Maerdy herd from Mold, Wales.

The Goldies also sold Goldies Landmark at 11,000gns to Dufftown farmers J& W Kellas, Raws Farm.

The second-top price of 16,000gns was paid by Meigle breeder Bill Bruce for an Irish bull, the first-prize winner, Ovill Lennon from the O’Kane Brothers in Co Londonderry.

Perthshire breeder Major David Walter sold his junior champion Balthayock Loyalist, a son of Maerdy Grenadier, for 14,000gns to judge Bob Adam, Newhouse of Glamis.

He also sold Balthayock Legend, an 18-month-old sire, for 11,500gns to J Hepburn & Co, Northhouse, Hawick.

Balthayock Lachlan sold for 7,500gns to Clark Farms, Muirhouse, Lanark.

Balthayock Lionheart went to Orkney for 6,000gns.

At 12,000gns Irish breeder Bartle Finnigan sold the unplaced Battleford Lynx to Mr and Mrs White, Swannage.

At 9,500gns S & D Bothwell, of Ballinamallard, Northern Ireland, sold the first-prize winner Killadeas Larry to Aberdeenshire.

NFU Scotland vice-president Andrew McCornick sold third-prize Ricnick Leonidas for 8,500gns to M Sinclair, Upper Latheron, Latheron.

Meanwhile the champion from Anne MacPherson, Blackford, Croy, sold for 6,000gns to WN Lindsay, Cairnleith, Kirriemuir.

Pictures: Ron Stephen. Top: Balthayock Loyalist from Major David Walter sold for 14,000gns to show judge Bob Adam, Newhouse of Glamis. Above: Fiona Lawson with Glenericht Leghorn from the Drysdales at Blairgowrie, which sold for 6,500gns.