Big day for all breeds at UA
ALL breeds were in demand at United Auctions’ multi-breed pedigree beef cattle sale at Stirling where averages improved in virtually all sections; a new May record of 22,000gns was achieved and a further eight sold at five-figure prices.
Add in some pretty high clearance rates, particularly for Limousins at 91% and
nd
Simmentals and Beef Shorthorns at 85% and
86%, respectively, and most producers went home in a buoyant mood.
For the second year in succession, a Simmental topped the trade, with this year’s 22,000gns record coming from Michael and John Barlow’s Denizes herd from Leyland, Lancs.
Surpassing last year’s record of 16,000gns paid for Richard McCulloch’s Overhill House Neil, was Denizes New Orleans, purchased by Alan
Wright who runs 60 pure Simmental females based at St Mungoes Farm, Argaty, Doune.
His purchase is another by Denizes Hamish, a home-bred bull retained for breeding by the Barlows which bred sons to a top of 37,000gns to average £17,640 here in February. The dam of this 19-monthold red ticket holder is Denizes Melody 39, a Blackford Galaxy daughter from the same family that produced heifers to 10,000gns at the Nxtgen sale in December.
Second top price amongst the Simmentals was 8500gns paid for the reserve champion, Braidwood Nero, an August 2022-born entry from Louise Moat’s 10-cow herd which runs alongside the family’s Innerwick herd from Dunbar. Nero is the first son of Wolfstar Jimmy Choo sold by the Moats and out of the polled cow, Braidwood Freckles which is a daughter of the German sire, Promi. He headed home with Douganhill Farms, Palnackie, Castle Douglas.
Just behind, on 8000gns, Lindsay and Robert Currie of the 15-cow Braegarrie herd from Pinclanty,
Girvan sold their junior bull, Braegarrie Northern Light, to Gartincaber Farms, Drymen, managed by Perry McNickle. This 18-monthold is a son of the 7500gns Overhill House Link that has bred sons to 8000gns in February and a 6000gns heifer at the Nxtgen sale. The dam is by Keeldrum Geronimo.
Although Limousin averages slipped on the year, the breed achieved the highest clearance at 91%, sold the most bulls and attracted five of the nine five-figure prices.
Three of those big sellers were bulls from Donald MacGregor’s Dyke herd, Milton of Campsie, brought out by herdsman, John Duncan, which made 12,000gns, 11,000gns and 10,000gns.
Dearest at 12,000gns was Dyke Tornado, a two-yearold son of the 12,000gns Goldies Lordoherings that has bred sons to 17,000gns. Fih in his class at the pre-sale show, this double F94L carrier is out of the Netherhall Gilbert daughter, Dyke Nora and was purchased by Huntlyhill Farms, Huntlyhill Mains, Lanark.
Minutes later, Dyke
Tenor, from the same stable and by the same sire, made 11,000gns selling to Mairi Paterson and son Robert, Dunruchan and Craigneich Farms, Crie, Perthshire. Another double F94L carrier, his dam is the Ryedale Paragon-sired, Dyke Beatrice.
The reserve senior champion from the
50-cow pedigree herd made 10,000gns to NA McCulloch, Kenmuir, Stranraer. Dyke Tango, a son of Whinfellpark Ohagan out of a home-bred Claragh Franco daughter, also sold with two copies of the F94L myostatin gene.
Bruce Goldie’s herd from Dumfries was another in the money, selling two Limousins with double
F94L genes at 12,000gns. First was Goldies Toshiba, a second prize ET senior bull bred from the Ampertaine Commandersired Goldies Iona and sired by the privately purchased Wilodge IJ. He was knocked down to E McLeod, Blackhole, Finzean, Banchory.
Another blue ticket holder, Goldies Trafalgar, a son of the 40,000gns Ampertaine Opportunity that has bred bulls to 32,000gns and 30,000gns, also made 12,000gns when purchased by AN McArthur, Lossit, Portnahavan, Islay. Another ET, Trafalgar is bred from the Wilodge Cerberus daughter, Goldies Peach.
The reserve senior Limousin, Maraiscote
Tyler from Ian Nimmo and son Andrew, made 9500gns when brought out by Sophie Harvey.
This October 2022-born natural calf is sired by the 50,000gns Bassingfield Machoman and out of the Goldies Comet daughter, Maraiscote Nemma. Tyler carries a single copy of the easy calving gene. The buyers were W Steel and Co, Cumberhead, Lesmahagow.
Just behind, Andrew Burnett who is dispersing his Spittalton herd from Blair Drummond, at Borderway Mart, Carlisle, on August 2, received 9000gns for the double
F94L Spittalton Trampus. This September 2022-born entry is backed by the sire, Dyke Papa, a bull bought privately that has bred sons to 9000gns, while the dam is by Burnbank Judge.
The Davidson family, Richard and Kathleen, son Richard and daughter Rachael of the Corsairtly herd Keith, also had a good day, winning their second consecutive May championship amongst the Limousins, this time with Corsairtly Upperclass. This 16-month-old is the first son sold by the privately purchased Whinfellpark Ronaldo, a Gunnerfleet Lion son bought as a 10-monthold calf. Bred from a homebred cow by Matthorn Focker and paraded by Rachael who also landed a red ticket with him at Keith Show, last year, he made 8500gns selling to James Shennan, Knockgerran, Girvan.
Bruce Goldie’s brother, Hamish also from Dumfriesshire, led the Charolais trade with
the Caylers Rocky-sired Goldies Timmy, which made 12,000gns when selling to new breeder, James Brown of the Cardon herd, Broughton, Biggar. This September 2022-born entry is out of Goldies Olivette which is a daughter of Goldies Glorious – a full sister to the homebred stock bull, Goldies Formidable.
Just behind, on
11,000gns, local breeder Murray Lyle, Dunblane, sold Loganbar Topgun, the Charolais champion to S and L Robertson, Roebank, Grange, Keith. He is by the easy calving stockbull, Thrunton Nike and out of Loganbar Nutmeg – one of 30 pedigree Charolais in the herd which run alongside 15 Aberdeen Angus and 15 Salers.
Mr Lyle also took 8500gns for the senior champion, Loganbar Topdollar, a September 2022-born son of the show bull, Maerdy Pore, out of Loganbar Newdawn, a Westcarse Jumbo-sired cow. The buyer was Q Limond, Barskelly, Crosshill, Maybole.
Salers achieved the highest average at £7228 for six, having sold to 11,000gns for the presale champion, Rednock Shaggy, a polled son of Rednock Oswald, from Gill and Malcolm Pye, Port of Menteith. He headed home with Rannagulzion Farms, Perthshire. Shaggy, which produced a personal best for the couple following an 8000gns sale at Castle Douglas, is bred from the Sagitaire-sired Rigel Dahlia and was brought out by
stockman ‘Alfie’ McGregor.
The champion Aberdeen Angus and Beef Shorthorn topped their sections with the former, Stephick Elvis, from Stephanie Dick, Mains of Throsk, Stirling, selling for 8000gns. This was Stephick Elvis, a son of Weeton Diamond Mine, out of the foundation female, Weeton Evora
P439 bought at the herd dispersal. Full brother to the bull calf champion at the Black Beauty Bonanza and Stars of the Future that went on to sell for 6800gns and maternal sister to Stephick Evora, a former junior champion at the Royal Highland in 2022, Elvis was knocked down to JT Fleming, Falnash, Teviothead.
Dearest amongst the Beef Shorthorns was
Cindy Townsend’s Coxhill Sterling, a son of the 27,000gns record priced Meonside Nidavellir, from Moat. He is bred from the Chapelton Almo daughter, Ballylinney Floss Ex91 and was purchased by Ian Chapman to breed replacement heifers from a 250 cross Simmental herd managed by John Gibb at West Cockmuir, Strichen, Fraserburgh.