Continentals lead at Stirling

Reports by Julie Wight and Kathryn Dick, Photographs by Rob Haining

ALTHOUGH AberdeenAngus averages were down on the year, trade held up well with two 10,000gns bull sales and a new female record of 40,000gns.

It was a bit of a blow for the breed which had been topping British Cattle Movement registrations over the past year, when the bull averages were pulled down a massive £1015 and for five fewer sold. Overall, just 37 bulls changed hands to average £5398.

It was, though, a good day for Caroline Morton’s six-cow Keirsbeath herd, from Dunfermline, when she not only produced the pre-sale champion but also one of the 10,000gns sales with Keirsbeath Kryptonite, which sold to Vaughan Farms, Lockerley.

Sired by Linton Gilbertines President – purchased here in 2017 for 17,000gns in a share with the Gray family, at Ettrick – he is out of Keirsbeath Kitty.

Matching that price was Jonathan and Lisa Doyle’s April, 2021-born bull, Drumhill Minor Pro, from Cookstown. A son of the Rulesmains Master-sired Rulesmains Jimo Eric, he is out of Drumhill Morning Princess and headed home to join Gordon and David Gray’s Ettrick herd, at Sunnycroft, Selkirk.

The same home also took 7500gns for their reserve senior champion, Drumhill Prime Cut. A son of Drumhill Lord Hatfield, he is out of Blelack Princess Chartreuse – purchased at the herd dispersal – and sold back across the water with Moses Irwin, Co Tyrone.

Next best, at 8200gns, was was the April, 2021-born Gordon Ellanin, from the Trustees of the late Gordon Brooke’s Earlston-based enterprise, managed by John Elliot. First in his class at the Great Yorkshire, he is by Rawburn Luthor – which bred sons to 25,000gns – and out of Linton Gillbertines Ella. He sold to Jan Boomaars, Heathdown, Woldingham.

Ken and Margaret Howie’s Cairnton Detroit, from Cairnton, Banchory, attracted an 8000gns bid from Lockerley Hall Farms, Romsey, Hants. This similarly aged bull is backed by homebred genetics on both sides having been sired by Cairnton

THERE was a bit of a twist to this week’s October Stirling Bull Sales, with the continental breeds proving more popular than their native rivals which had been much in vogue in recent years.

Simmentals enjoyed the best of the week’s trading, securing a record average of £7558 – up a colossal £1597 on the same sale last year.

Charolais were also in demand, producing the lead average at £7599 despite a fall of £728 after their record breaking event in 2021 and with 19 more sold.

Such was the demand for increased weight gain, shape and muscle, that Limousin averages improved £806 per head too, cashing in at £5891.

Aberdeen-Angus secured the lead native average, selling 37 at £5398, up a massive £1015 on the year, followed by the six Shorthorn bulls which cashed in at £3728, down by a colossal £1102.

Nevertheless, AberdeenAngus females from John Elliot’s Gordons production sale enjoyed a flying trade, securing a new heifer breed record of 40,000gns, while the two reduction sales from the Rulesmains and Retties herds selling to 6000gns and 7500gns, respectively.

John Elliot was back in the money amongst the Beef Shorthorn females, too, producing the lead priced lot, a cow and a calf outfit, which sold for 16,000gns.

The Lochend dispersal of Charolais soared to 21,000gns for a cow and calf outfit from Iain and Rhona Miller, which was followed by a top price of 8500gns from the Ravensworth dispersal.