Aberdeen Angus bulls off to a strong start at Stirling sales

Aberdeen Angus bulls met a strong but selective trade on the opening day of the Stirling bull sales where the top deal was a 11,000 guinea (gns) bid. The sale average rose £847 albeit with only 26 bulls selling. Yesterday’s trade levelled out at £5,391 compared with £4,544 for 32 bulls sold at last year’s fixture.

Aberdeen-angus Cattle Society president, Johnny Mackey, said breeders had the type of bulls customers wanted on show at the sale, which featured a mixture of commercial and pedigree buyers.

Leading the sale was the pre-sale show champion from Northern Ireland breeders Jonathan and Lisa Doyle of Cookstown. Their 19-month-old bull Drumhill Lord Hatfield went to neighbour, K. Mcoscar, of Island Farm, Cookstown.

Next best at 10,000 gns was the reserve overall champion from the Gordon Brooke Estate at Upper Huntleywood Farm, Earlston with J. Kelly of 51 Duncrun Road, Co. Londonderry taking him home.

At 9,000 gns, the Wattie family at Mains of Tonley, Alford, sold to Prendwick Farm, Whittingham, Alnwick, Northumberland.

Other leading prices included 8,200 gns for the junior champion from A Clark and Sons at Avisyard Farm, Cumnock going to Iain Mathers of Wardes, Kintore.

The Hodge family who run the Wyddial herd at Glenshocie, Stanley, Perth, sold to a top of 8,000 gn to J. D. Steele, Goddens, Pitroddie, Perth.

The Limousins also came under the hammer yesterday with 40 bulls selling to £4,945, compared with 43 averaging £4,552 last year. British Limousin Cattle Society chief executive, Iain Kerr, described the sale as being “driven by commercial trade.”