Taking Stock

I don't often get much info on organic sales, but it seems interest is exceeding expectations at Frome.

An entry of 300 organic store cattle yesterday saw buyers attend from all over the UK.

While strong demand is for the best suckler bred beef, quality dairy bred stores found a marvellous trade. Charolais steers in the region of 8-10 months old from D Newman sold to £590 while Limousin x South Devons (12-16mo) from G R White sold to £762.

Hard Aberdeen Angus 11 month old steers from Turnstone Farming sold at £595. Older cattle were wanted by all with Belgian Blue steers selling to £870 from Derek Mead with strong heifers making £710, £705 and £680.

Beef Expo may be the technical event of the beef industry, but once again it was the show of suckled calves which drew the crowds.

Judge for the day was Hugh Dunlop and it was no surprise his task took him a little longer than expected, with a wealth of quality calves before him.

Having caught the eye of noted Smithfield champion exhibitor Mr Dunlop the minute she walked in the ring, the Belgian Blue x Limousin heifer Black Beauty from Tecwyn Jones sparkled in the lightweight heifer class, to go on and take the Continental heifer championship and overall title.

Described as being in just the right condition for this time of the show season, Mr Dunlop told Taking Stock he had no hesitation in selecting the animal as his champion. "I came here not knowing whether I would place a suckled calf or a well fleshed animal, but she had my attention right from the start, oozing great style, ring presence and fantastic locomotion."

The 402kg, nine month old heifer from Carmarthenshire-based Mr Jones, who also runs 45 pedigree Welsh Black's under the Seisiog prefix, was bought privately for an undisclosed figure from noted show cattle producer Trefor Jones. Black Beauty next heads for the Royal Welsh and will ultimately end up at the Welsh Winter Fair.

As always a blustery day was had by all at Fife Show, but through the wind and rain came a Limouisn bull from David Orr, Crossgates to take most of the silverware home.

The five-year-old stock bull Dyfri Target, bred by Aled Edwards, is by the French-bred bull Jockey and out of Dyfri Nadia and is no stranger to the Fife showground having picked up an interbreed title in 2005 and the champion of champions at Central and West Fife last year.

Standing reserve in the beef section was Jim Muirhead with a Charolais cow. The three-year-old, with calf at foot, was breed champion at Fife last year and also at Kirriemuir and Perth. she is by Moyness Statesman and out of a Firhills dam.

Mosston Muir's Tom Rennie headed a strong Aberdeen Angus team to take the beef groups title, consisting of stock bull Emperor, reserve breed champion Mosston Muir Jennifer and a heifer, Mosston Muir Etta.

In the sheep lines brothers Keith, Allan and Roy Campbell, Drimsynie, Argyll, took their first ever overall championship at Fife with a Texel gimmer from their Cowal flock.

The reserve champion sheep came from Ainslie Smith, Ladybank, who won with a Half Bred ewe shown with a tup lamb at foot.

Last week's South of England show was a particularly good one for Taking Stock with both regular contributors invoved in bringing forward champions.

For my part I managed to clinch the interbreed sheep title for the second year in a row with a Southdown shearling ram, while Chrissie helped Thorndean Farms to the Limousin breed title with a two year old heifer, Thorndean At Last, sired by Sheelin Nato.

Elsewhere in the beef lines it was the turn of Mortimers Farms' stockman Charlie Maclean to lead out the winner, Charolais cow Mortimers Racey. By Gretnahouse Napoleon and out of homebred cow Mortimers Madonna, Racey was shown with a Mortimers Upstart sired calf at foot and just the week before had stood interbreed champion at the Royal Bath and West.

Unshown since 2002 when she lifted the breed championship at the Highland as a heifer, Racey beat the Angus champion, Andrew Brown's heifer Hawstead Lodge Pamela into reserve.

Pamela, who stood native champion at last week's Suffolk Show, is by Blelack Black Beret and was led out by Kevin Byford.

Colin Hutchings was back on top at the Royal Cornwall Show last week, sweeping the board with his Limousin and Aberdeen Angus cattle.

After last year's tremendous successes - he won 15 interbreed championships - Colin returned to the top with his Limousin bull Goldies Trophy. By Leo and out of Giroflee, this six-year old bull now heads to the Three Counties Show.

Colin also scooped the Aberdeen Angus champion and reserve spots, with the familiar pairing that is Logie Daredevil and Kingsbrompton Miss Ethel. as well as the interbreed pairs. "I'm chuffed to bits and am very excited to be judging the Angus classes at the Highland Show later this month."

Reserve interbreed champion was Boddington Estates' Simmental bull Sterling Rochester. Shown by stockman Jimmy McMillan, this three year-old heads to the Highland, Royal, Yorkshire and Royal Welsh Shows later in the year.

Females dominated proceedings at last weekend's East of England Show, clinching the overall interbreed beef title, the commercial beef championship, the interbreed sheep championship and the interbreed pig silverware.

Leading the way was Doug Mash's French bred Limousin cow Segala from his family's Brockhurst herd. Imported just over a year a go and shown with her November 2006-born calf at foot, Segala now heads to the Royal and Royal Welsh.

Standing reserve here was the Aberdeen Angus champion, Briston Echo, from Duncan Jeary's 60-cow herd. By Tegnose Pensboy and out of Briston Briarthorn, Echo was also shown with her March-born calf at foot.

Heading up the commercial classes was the Limousin cross heifer Miss Moneypenny from Sennybridge-based Elfed Williams. Brought out by Neil and Sally Lloyd of Black and Blue Show Team, Miss Moneypenny was bred by Andrew Davies and cost Mr Williams £7100.

Among the juniors it was the turn of another Limousin, Ironstone Brandy, from Smtihs of Bloxham's Ironstone herd which led the way. By Unesco, Brandy is out of record price Limousin female Bailea Umandy.

Narrowly pipped into reserve spot was Mike and Jean Dickens' Limousin cross heifer Splash, this one was bred by the Skidmore family.

Some of the best animals to go through the market for some time is how auctioneer David Kivell described today's trade, which saw more than 400 cattle go through the Holsworthy Market.

The day's highlight came in the form of a run of 65 Belgian Blue and Limousin cattle from local farmer Nigel Jenkinson of Shebbear. His Limousin cross cow with calf at foot topped trade at £800 bought by J Dixon, Northlew.

With many native breeds going from strength to strength at the moment, it's no wonder one more breed has been brought back in to the action.

The Riggit Galloway, previously regarded as a regect from coloured Galloway cows, had almost disappeared, but the formation of the Riggit Galloway Cattle Society is now fully functional to protecting and promoting this type of cattle.

The Riggit, while sharing most of the common characteristics of the more common Black, Dunn, Belted and White Galloways, is easily distinguished by its striking white dorsal stripe. The main body colour is usually black, but there are several Duns with the odd red as well.

The Society now has registered breeders working to protect the breed, developing it through its own society website.

Hexham and Northern Marts saw all classes of cattle sell dearer on the week with steers averaging 130.5p/kg and heifers 131.p/kg. Overall prime cattle met an average of 131.1p/kg.

The top prime steers met 148.5p/kg for a batch of Blonde cross steers, with the best heifers being Limousin crosses selling for 146p/kg.

The best over 30 months animals also sold for 104.5p/kg for Limousin cross cows. Overall they met an average of 81p/kg.

A mixed show of hoggs with a large proportion of lean light sheep proved harder to sell.

Well drawn, well fleshed farm assured lambs met a strong demand and sold for more than 120p/kg to a top of 138p/kg for Beltex hoggs from Claywalls purchased by Woodhead Brothers, Colne.

Trade for quality prime cattle continues to suprise beef producers at St Boswells today as prices for steers rose by 2p/kg to average 157.1p/kg for 111 sold, with heifers averaging 153.4p/kg for 102 sold.

Steers topped at a massive 183p/kg for one from Ramrig selling to Messrs Gilmour. The same buyer bought the top priced heifer from Pathhead at 174p/kg.

Trade for young bulls was also pretty fierce, up 6.6p/kg on last week's trade to average 140.7p/kg.

Some 2727 hoggs were forward and topped at 178.6 p (£83 a head) and averaged 146.1p/kg.

Cull cow trade also remained firm selling to a top price of 149p/kg and averaging 123.4p/kg.

Prime cattle were in short supply at Colchester Market, which helped push prices in to the 163p/kg region.

Steers averaged 128.94p/kg, with the best bunch coming from weekly local supplier Gerald Ketley, whose batch of 17 medium weight steers topped at 163.5p/kg selling to J Coleman.

Heifers averaged 132.75p/kg and topped at 159.5p/kg for one from a batch of 57 from S J R and P Herwin, buyer here were H G Blake.

Unfortunately, as I'm judging the sheep interbreed groups at the Bath and West tomorrow I haven't been able to head to Shepton Mallet today to catch up with the interbreed beef, sheep and pig competitions.

However, a quick scan of the show's online results pages indicates the Wheeler's Limousin heifer Rosecroft Versace took the interbreed beef award, this makes it two out of two for Versace after she took top honours at Devon County too (where the photo below was taken).

Colin Hutchings' Aberdeen Angus cow Kingsbrompton Miss Ethel stood reserve.

The sheep interbreed takes place today with ex-NSA supremo John Thorley doing the honours.

To see the show's results pages click here

The beef industry is today mourning the loss of one the country's leading cattle finishers, Harry Emslie, Brae of Coynach, Mintlaw, after an accident at his farm yesterday.

Mr Emslie, 67, is believed to have been crushed to death by a loader, but it is understood no one else was involved in the accident.

Having won Smithfield's supreme championship on two occaisions, including clinching both the championship and reserve awards in 1994, Mr Emslie was a well known and respected figure on the primestock show circuit and a renowned finisher of cattle on his Aberdeenshire unit.

As a judge Mr Emslie had officated across the UK and Ireland, sharing his knowledge and skill with likeminded folk and passing on the wisdom he had gained through his many years in the beef industry.

He leaves a wife, Kay, and a son, Harry jnr, and daughter, Jacqueline. The Taking Stock team pass their condolences to the family. 

There were plenty of new investors backing the future of Hereford cattle at the dispersal of the Llancillo Hall herd at Pandy in south Herefordshire last week where the strong family lines behind this herd were bought both as foundation stock and to enhance new herds on a day that took bidding to 3600gns.

 And buyers weren't cherry picking. Nigel Hooper, relatively new to white-faced ranks, claimed eight lots for his Hooper Hereford herd at Suckley, Worcester paying up to 2200gns.

But it was the four-year-old cow Llancillo Hall Beatrice 3 - suckling her autumn-born heifer calf - that proved to be the most fancied lot. She topped the trade and heads for Oxfordshire with M Ludgate who runs the Rempstone herd at Thame.

He was a keen bidder determined to fill his wagon and bought another further four lots including the six-year-old cow Llancillo Hall Beatrice 11taken at 1600gns. She was carrying an ET-bred calf out of the sale topper.