The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Limousin prices slip at Carlisle auction as Co Derry bull takes top show prize
Sale: Average prices dip from £7,712 in 2017 to £6,523 this year
Limousin bulls sold to a top price of 35,000gn at the breed’s spring show and sale in Carlisle.
The sale leader was the overall champion from the pre-sale show, judged by Dougie McBeath who runs the Springsett herd with Sarah Jane Jessop at Lower Greenyards Farm, Bannockburn, Stirling.
This was 17-month-old Ampertaine Majestic from WJ & J McKay, 88 Kilrea Road, Upperlands, Maghera, Co Derry, Northern Ireland.
An AI son of Plumtree Fantastic, out of Amptertaine Joy, he sold to G Corrie, 11 Crossnamuckley Road, Newtonwards, Northern Ireland.
Next best at 20,000gn was September-2016 born Twemlows Morpeth from WL & JA Forrester, Twemlows Farm, Higher Heath, Whitchurch, Shropshire.
An AI son of Swarlands Eddie, out of Twemlows Hilda, he sold to GL Hutton, Setmabanning Farm, Threlkeld, Keswick, Cumbria.
Thereafter, north-east breeder Grant Morrison of Newtack, Crossroads, Grange, Keith, sold November-2016 born Newtack Maltster for 19,000gn.
By Artnagullion Jaggerbomb, and out of Emslies Insi, he sold to H Annett & Son, Widdrington Farm, Widdrington, Morpeth, Northumberland.
Other leading prices included 14,000gn for November-2016 born Glenrock Matrix selling to the Cruikshank family’s Clury herd at Clury Farm, Dulnain Bridge, Grantown.
Put forward by SD Illingworth, Howgillside, Eaglesfield, Lockerbie, he is an ET son of Goldies Comet, out of Glenrock Spangle.
Meanwhile, Aberdeenshire breeder Albert Howie sold to a top of 10,000gn for an entry from his Knock herd at West Knock, Stuartfield, Peterhead.
Selling to JM & SM Priestley, Cracrop Farm, Brampton, Cumbria, December-2016 born Knock Msport is by Goldies Goldfinger and out of Knock Izzy.
Another at 10,000gn, this time selling to Stuart Fotheringham, Ballinloan, Dunkeld, was 15-month-old Haltcliffe Nadal, by Wanthwaite Jackal, from Haltcliffe, Hesket New Market, Wigton, Cumbria.
Stirling breeder Ronald Dick, who runs the Ronick herd at Mains of Throsk Farm, sold to a top of 8,000gn.
November-2016 born Ronick Mainman – an AI son of Amptertaine Jamboree, out of Ronick Gainsi – sold to A Clark, Hangram Lane Farm, Ringinglow, Sheffield.
In total, auctioneers Harrison and Hetherington sold 117 bulls sold to average £6,523.46.
This is down on last year’s sale when 128 bulls averaged £7,712.70 and a top price of 100,000gn was achieved.
Meanwhile, in the female sale a top price of 26,000gn was paid for 14-month-old heifer Grahams Nikita from the Graham family at Airthrey Kerse Dairy Farm, Bridge of Allan, Stirling.
An AI daughter of Claragh Franco, out of Grahams Coffee, she is a full sister to the 40,000gn Grahams Lorenzo.
She sold to R& A White& Son, Two Thorns Fields Farm, Snake Road, Bamford, Hope Valley.
The Graham family also achieved 5,500gn when it sold rising 20-monthold heifer Grahams Marigold.
In total 59 maiden heifers sold to average £3691.02, while 14 served heifers averaged £3,307.50. One cow sold for £2,310.