Charolais sellers feeling bullish

mUCH to the delight of consigners, Charolais bulls sold well at Stirling yesterday with top bulls being snapped up by fellow breeders backed by a strong commercial demand. British Charolais Cattle Society chief executive David Benson claimed the bigger prices paid for Charolais-sired stores was largely responsible for the strong trade.

In total, 92 Charolais were sold to average £6,578, a drop of £1,121 on the year, with a clearance rate of 65 per cent.

The sale leader came from Bill Bruce, of Balmyle, meigle, with Balmyle Headline, which was bid to 22,000 guineas before it was knocked down to businessman Danny Sawrij for use in his Swalesmoor herd based at eaglesfield, near Dumfries.

michael massie, of maims of elrick, ellon, took the next best price fetching 17,000gn for elrick Highlander who heads off to the Wights at midlock, Crawford.

Three bulls sold at 15,000gn. The first was early in the sale when mike and margaret Atkinson, of Parkfield, ripon, sold mowbraypark Hercules to Campbell, of mayfield, Thurso.

Then breed society chairman Alasdair Houston, of Gretna House, Dumfries, sold Gretnahouse Heman to Hamish Goldie, of South Bowerhouses, Dumfries.

The last of the 15,000gn bulls was the junior champion Goldies Hotspur from Hamish Goldie. This bull sold to mill, Caithness.

The overall champion from Darren and Donna Knox, of West Fen, march, Cambridge, sold for 14,000gn to A&D renwick, of Keppoch, Dundonnell, Wester ross.

Another five deals were carried out on or above the 10,000gnlevel