The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Blue cross heifer star of Thainstone
A British blue cross heifer from Mintlaw farmer Harry Emslie took home the supreme title and top price of 6,000gns at yesterday’s Royal Northern Spring Show.
Thousands of farmers flocked to the show, which was organised by the Royal Northern Agricultural Society and held at Aberdeen and Northern Marts’ headquarters at Thainstone, Inverurie.
Judge Andrew Ewing of Dumbretton Farm, Annan, awarded his supreme champion rosettes to the heifer champion at the exhibition cattle show.
This one from Emslies Livestock Ltd at Kinknockie, Mintlaw, Peterhead, is an October 2014-born British Blue cross heifer, called Anna, weighing in at 598kg.
He was bought by the Emslies when Harry placed it champion while judging a show and sale in Hexham, Northumberland.
A second-prize winning Limousin heifer from John Robertson, of Newton of Logierait, Pitlochry made 2,700gns.
March2013-bornPussyGalore, which is by Lodge Hamlet and out of a British Blue cross by Bringlee Blackstar, was sold weighing 418kg to Blair Duffton and Rebecca Stuart.
The next at this price was another Limousin cross heifer from John Robertson.
This July 2015-born lot weighed 359kg sold to Lin Pidsley of Upton Ley Farm, Honiton, Devon.
In all, Aberdeen and Northern Marts sold 28 out of the 44 cattle entered in the sale.
The average for the 19 heifers sold was £4,72 a kg and £2,121.05 a head.
The nine bullocks sold to an average of £2.81 a kg and £1,286.67 a head.
This compares to 11 heifers at an average of £4.94 a kg and £2,045.45 a head last year, when 14 bullocks sold to an average of £3.40 a kg and a £1,469.29 a head.
Meanwhile the top price and supreme champion rosettes at the pedigree bulls show and sale were both awarded to Charolais beasts.
Leading the trade at 6,500gns was a first-prize winning Charolais from Graeme Leggat at Mormond Prop, New Pitsligo, Fraserburgh.