But BSE case fails to hit bull sales

With the breed average up £674 on the year, six five-figure prices and a top price of 22,000gns in the Aberdeen Angus lines, there was little sign of any knock-on effects of last week’ sb se scare at the stirling bull sales yesterday.

Top price of the day went to the Trustees of the late Gordon Brooke, Upper Huntlywood, Earlston, for Linton Gilbertines Powerhouse, an 18-monthold bull which had lifted the reserve male championship ticket at the Great Yorkshire Show. The bull, which had the highest terminal index for the breed, went to Chris and Janet Watmore, Holystone Estates, Northumberland.

Second top price of 14,000gns went to the Rankins of Kilmaluag, Portree, selling to Neil Massie, Blelack, Aberdeen.

First-time sellers Hugh, Cara and Lorna Thomson, Burnside of Tynet, Aber- deenshire made 13,000gns for their junior and reserve overall champion which sold to HM Tilson, Wedderlie, Gordon.

K & M Howie, Cairnton, Lumphinans, Aberdeenshire, saw their Cairnton Blackbeard sell for 12,500gns to David Lindsay, Baldownie, Angus, while the Mccornicks of Boreland, Kirkcowan, sold their Evening Express to John Scott, Fearn, Rossshire for 11,000 gns.

The senior and overall champion from Andrew Hodge, Rulesmains, Duns, sold for 10,000gns to H Slater, Denhead, Turriff ,and E Mcgregor, Raddery. And a heifer from the dispersal sale of Russell and Nancy Taylors’ Moncur herd equalled the top price in the bull ring. Moncur Laura, a daughter of Blelack Duke, sold for 22,000gns to Alistair Fraser of Idvies, Angus. The Schivas dispersal also recorded a top of 18,000gns for a heifer.

Limousins also recorded an improved breed average, with 49 bulls selling to an average of £5,182, up £119 on the year. The breed topped at 11,000gns twice. A G Howie, West Knock, Peterhead, saw the overall champion sell to the Coghills, of Muce, Birsay, at this price while D & L Graham, mains on Burnbank, Blairdrummond, also sold to this price to Robert Adam, Newhouse of Glamis, Glamis.

In the Beef Shorthorn lines, however, things were slightly less cheery, with a £634 fall taking the average price back down to £4,487 for 15 sold. However breed president, Sally Horrell said that despite the challenges of the lack of forage and the uncertainties of Brexit good animals had sold well.

The trade topped at 12,000gns for the breed champion from Thomson Roddick and Laurie, Newlands, Lockerbie, selling to D J Welsh, West Broadmoss, Fenwick in Ayrshire. The bull was by Shawhill Henderson.