Taking Stock

You think UK store buyers have it tough - check this site ...! Some mad person, sorry mad American, so that speaks volumes, paid $185,000 for a steer after it took a championship ticket at a show!!

It's that time of year when the cheque books start coming out for potential show winners for both the summer and Christmas show season.

One market known for having some good quality youngstock on display is Skipton and their recent show and sale has been no exception.

Calderdale cattlemen claimed both championship and reserve championship honours on the recent Craven Champions Day, the annual high profile show and sale of store cattle with future show potential.

Adrian Leach, of Owlers Farm, Shackleton Hill, Hebden Bridge, landed supreme championship honours with his nine-month old Belgian Blue cross heifer, while fellow Hebden Bridge farmer, Brian Lund, of Walshaw Farm, took the reserve title with an eight-month old Parthenais cross (no doubt this could prove a contender for many any other breed titles on this year's circuit).

The champion, home-bred out of a Gelbvieh-cross cow sold for £1,100 to a show man from Lancashire.

Borderway Mart in Carlisle is beginning to set a trend when it comes to selling pedigree Limousin cattle.

Now joining the Harrison and Hetherington hall of fame which consists of names such as Wilodge Vantastic (42,000gns), Cloughhead Umpire (42,000gns), Fieldson Alfy (37,000gns) and of course the record breaking Haltcliffe Vermount (100,000gns), is Queenshead Altea.

Having taken the championship ticket at Friday's Limousin Society spring sale last week, Altea, from Pat Varley, sold for the days highest price of 52,000gns. Not bad going since Pat has a herd of just 4 cows!!

Having finished one of their best sales for many years with prices topping at 6,200gns, Galloway cattle breeders have turned a corner in terms of selling.

And in keeping with previous spends at Oban for Highland cattle, German breeders were back in force at Castle Douglas for quality Galloway genetics as well, as they helped tip heifer averages up by £113.

The top price of the day came at 6200gns for the supreme bull champion, the 19-month-old Ben Lomond Maximus shown by the Maxwell family from Blairvockie Farm, Drymen, Glasgow.

This was bought in a joint purchase by local breeders Messrs R & M Fergusson of Barlaes, Dalry, Castle Douglas, and Messrs J A Fergusson and Son of Nether Rusko, Gatehouse of Fleet.

Bums, bums, bums....no don't worry I'm not on holiday looking at gorgeous male specimens on the beach, it's actually Perth Bull Sales in February (granted not as cold as I have witnessed on past ocassions)!!

And what a Perth it's been so far. Trade for Simmental females started well, but the real headline story is that the breed has set a new record of 22,000gns and boosted their average by more than £1000, pushing the £4000 average mark.

The sale topper came in the form of Omorga Samson (pictured below), a November 05 born bull from Northern Ireland based breeders Moore's of Co Tyrone, who sold to Adrain Ivory's noted herd in Perthshire. This Raceview King-sired bull is out of Cleenagh Daffodil and sold with terminal sire index of +22.

Although not many Charolais females were forwarded for this year's Perth sales, it was one of Perthshire's leading pedigree buyers Adrian Ivory back round the sale ring selecting the finer genetics on offer.

Dunesk Victoria (pictured below), a powerful August 2004-born heifer from the Angus-based McMillan family took Adrian's eye as he paid 5500gns for the Moyness Statesman-sired heifer. Out of Dunesk Northstar, she sells having been AI'd to Burradon Talisman.

As anticipation builds round the Charolais stalls at Perth, both pedigree and commercial breeders and buyers are debating what the sale this morning will top yesterday's Simmental trade.

Having just caught five minutes with the one and only David Leggatt, he says yesterday's trade is all down to the demand for good, powerful bulls with strong figures and health status. "We've had a good show of bulls and this was reflected in the sale ring."

All bets on then please for the top price Charolais today?

As David Leggatt's voice rings out, we've got a new top price for Charolais bulls.

Maerdy Andes from Esmor Evans' string of cattle entered here, has just sold for 30,000gns to (if I caught it right over the speaker) Ian Thompson. This powerhouse of a bull, as described by David in bidding, is sired by Fairway Soprano and out of Maerdy Nosda.

Other leading prices include...

Gilbert Henderson's Sandleford Antrim for 12,000gns to A Davies, Powys
Messrs Rees' Pennal Adamos for 8000gns
B Mcallister and Sons' Burnside Albatross for 7500gns to A Lyburn, Blairgowrie
White's Balbithan Amazon for 6800gns to D W Sinclair, Orkney
W P Bruce's Balmyle Action for 6500gns to S Durno
J K Hunter's Hunters Alfred for 6000gns to Ian Maclean, Kent
W J Whyte's Hindstones Arabian for 5800gns to Greig Farms

Not quite the ecstatic trade that was last year, but Charolais breeders would have ended on a high following a solid trade for Charolais bulls at the February Perth sales, with 197 bulls levelling at an average £5426.

A top call of 32,000gns was given for the overall champion, Solitude Attaboy, came from John McMordie's Solitude herd of eight Charolais cows and 45 Herefords at Ballygowan, Northern Ireland.

Have finally managed to get the audio file off our "high-tech" equipment.

Here's the record 22,000gns Simmental bull getting sold by Auctioneer David Brown ...

Supporters of the Whitebred Shorthorn Association turned out at Carlisle for this rare breed's spring fixture where bidding reached 2800gns for a bull from local breeders Messrs Hewson.

As the sire of the blue-grey suckler cow - once the bedrock of the hill cow sector - many believe the Whitebred Shorthorn may yet enjoy resurgence as low-cost sucklers attract more attention. But for now the breed remains in the hands of the few and it was the Hewson's Parton Spotlight that drew the highest bid selling to Planmajor Ltd., based on the west Cumbria coast at Holmrook.

As promised - a lovely video from Perth:

Following on from a successful Craven Champions day, Skipton auction mart are doing similar business in the dairy sector.

Dairy farmer Jeremy Taylor made it a record-breaking five-strong haul of Craven Dairy Auction championship victories at last Monday's show and sale when a total of 77 pedigree and commercial cattle represented the highest-ever entry since the reintroduction of the fixture at the beginning of 2005.

A home-bred pedigree Holstein Friesian heifer from Jeremy's Smellows herd at Small House, Broughton, near Skipton, won him his latest title and received the Craven Dairy Trophy from animal feeds supplier BOCM-Pauls.

Most farmers would struggle to justify paying more than £1400 for an in-calf heifer, but some cull cows are now hitting these dizzy heights.

Weighing in at 886kg an eight year old Belgian Blue sold at £1.64/kg compared to £1.50/kg paid during the same sale at Market Drayton Mart, Shropshire, for a 975kg Belgian Blue cull bull, fetched £1461.

The cow which was bought as a heifer in Belgium, is now en-route back to her homeland for processing having grossed £1451.

Following on from the dizzy heights of trading at Perth and Carlisle recently, demand for Limousin bulls and females continued with a sound trade at Dungannon.

The sale was topped by Francis McAuley's senior champion, Carmorn Axle (see below), a Kype Spartacus son out of a Pelletstown Ken cow, which sold for 5000gns to J Redmond, Loughgall.

With pedigree bulls selling to a top price of 6000gns, trade was brisk at Aberdeen & Northern Marts' multibreed show and sale today at Thainstone Centre, Inverurie.

Following his spring show record price in 2006, John Wilson of Kinclune, Glenkindie, again led the way in the sale ring with his first prize-winning Charolais Kinclune Ace selling for the top price of 6000gns to W and N Milne, Milton of Edinglassie, Strathdon.

A full brother of last year's record breaking animal, this year's sale leader was a home-bred June 2005-born son of the 14000gns Caylers Solomon.

Charolais bulls met a flying trade selling to 7000gns in Dungannon on Saturday at the Northern Ireland Charolais club's official early spring show and sale. Strong demand for Charolais females was reflected in the bidding to a top of 4200gns twice.

Sale topper was the event's senior male and reserve overall champion, Solitude Aled (CH34) from John McMordie, Ballygowan who 10 days earlier had turned out the supreme Perth champion, Solitude Attaboy that sold for a 32,000gns NI record.

A Doonally New son, and out of one of best breeding females from his eight cow herd, Aled qualified for the NI Elite Beef Quality Initiative and he sold to Noel McIlwaine, Plumbridge.

According to a report in the Hereford Times substantial increase in the number of prime cattle sold by auctioneers McCartneys in 2006 lifted throughput to 41,150 head - a rise of more than 7000 animals compared with the previous year.

Sheep numbers sold through McCartneys' five sale centres in the west Midlands and Wales have also shown a big increase. During 2006, the company handled 535,292 head of prime sheep, compared with 497,599 in 2005.

Hexham & Northern Marts held their special March prize show and sale when they had forward an entry of 1187 store cattle and suckled calves.

Trade was particually good with buyers reaching as far afield as Kent, Northern Ireland and Angus in Scotland.

Prior to the sale the judge and noted show goer Ewen MacPherson, Oban, Argyll awarded the overall champion to Roy Coe from Tyne Green with an outstanding Limousin steer which went on to make £1000 bought by David Todd, Wragby, Lincolnshire.

A Turriff farmer scooped the overall championship at the recent beef carcass show held at Scotch Premier Meat Ltd's Inverurie premises as part of the 2007 Royal Northern Spring Show.

Champion steer and overall champion was a home-bred Limousin cross from Simon Roebuck, Lendrum, Turriff and it was purchased by Aberdeen butcher Jim Black who judged the entries on the hook.

Based in Aberdeen and with 30 years of experience in the trade, Jim supplies a number of the city's top hotels and restaurants as well as fishing vessels and the oil industry, sourcing all his beef, lamb and pork from Scotch Premier Meat Ltd.

Now I regularly listen in wonder as to how fast the likes of auctioneer greats such as David Leggatt (UA), David Tomlinson (H&H) and Paul Gentry (Newark) rattle their way through sale day, but having stumbled across these clips of world champion sellers, I reckon our UK greats have some way to go!!

My personal favourite has to be 1963!!

Now I regularly listen in wonder as to how fast the likes of auctioneer greats such as David Leggatt (UA), David Tomlinson (H&H) and Paul Gentry (Newark) rattle their way through sale day, but having stumbled across these clips of world champion sellers, I reckon our UK greats have some way to go!!

My personal favourite has to be 1963!!

Looks like another fine trading day for suckled calf sales and show potentials at Leyburn Auction Mart. Judging by the amount of money that has already exchnaged hands so far, there should be some right beauties on the show circuit this year (I'm only jealous!!).

Taking the top price was John Smith-Jackson and his rather sweet Limouisn cross heifer, who sold for £3500 to noted showman Ewan Macpherson, Oban. Have to say this heifer would have been my pick of the day as well!

Just had some pics in from the Blonde sale at Carlisle and looks like they had a good trading day. Setting a new breed record was Blackwater Ainsley from Essex breeder Ian Calderbank, which sold for 8500gns.

Ainsley is a son of Druk genesis and out of a Yogi bred mother. He now joins the father and son team of Peter and James Weightman of Peterlee, Northumberland.

With only 19 bulls forward for the Carlisle Charolais sale, a depressing five only managed to sell through the ring. Caylors Angus from A B Barker sold for the days top price of 3000gns.

Calling all you crazy people out there that like spending money on flash commercial cattle, the job really is beginning to get a little mad now!

Now don't get me wrong, I can raise my hand with the best of them while standing round the sale ring and on many occassions I've had to be brought back to reality on how much money I can actually afford, but £9000 for a young steer, come on surely that won't pay!

Granted the sweet little Limousin cross in question from John Richardson that took Penrith market by storm this week is a fair animal, but paying that amount for a steer doesn't stack up. I only hope he has a good show season for new owners Messrs Brooks from Worcester and end up selling for a record price at Smithfield!

Take a look at him and let me know what you think!

Overall John Richardson and Son, Ghyll House Dufton, had an excellent days trading, selling 19 head of cattle to average out at over £3149 each,a record for the market.

He also sold this cracking heifer below for £5800.

Calling all you Belgian Blue fanatics (myself included of course), anyone want to take a guess as to what the famous Wilodge Ulex will make at the major proportion sale to be held in May at Carlisle?

Having had such a tremendous show record, including wins at Beef Expo in 2004 right through to last year taking breed championships at the Royal, Royal Welsh and Great Yorkshire, no doubt breeders will be desperate to take the opportunity to secure some of his bloodlines in the sale, not to mention the big man himself. If he looks as good now, as he did all last summer, he certainly will cause a stir.

Also up for grabs will be the recently acquired Radieuse - the powerful 2002-born white cow purchased at Carlisle in 2006 for 4,500gns from Andrew Coppinger.

I'm waiting to hear from Christine Williams as to what else will be in the sale, so I will let you know - but bagsie I have first dibs on the sweet yearling heifer she had out last summer (if it's entered of course!).

Tipped as the sale topper by owners David and Pam Hiles of Yockings Gate Farm, Whitchurch, as well as many ringside enthusiasts on the day, was Yockings Gate Almond Morty Avis selling for 4500gns at Beeston Castle today.

And digging deep in to his pockets to make the top bid was Southern Ireland breeder Peter Kingston.

Topping trade for calves were the two embryo heifers from the sale topper, in the form of Picston Shottle daughters Shottle Avis A and Shottle Avis B, selling for 2600gns and 2000gns (pictured with mum below) respectively, to Mr Gilman.

An amazingly strong trade saw a top price of £1320 on two occasions at Kivells' recent show and sale of dairy cattle.

Messrs S R Gilbert & Son, Sheepwash realised the top price with a fresh calved pedigree heifer and Mr & Mrs D Brown of Buckland Brewer also took top price with one of their freshly calved heifers, part of a consignment of nine heifers which averaged £1107.

Lancaster, once a Mecca for Holstein sales, savoured some of its former glory last week when a star-studded entry and three tempting consignments produced 11 bids over 2000gns and a top price of 6000gns.

Reminiscent of this centre's hey day, the market was crammed with 200 head of cattle including 20 lots from the Smiddiehill herd that were guaranteed to entice even the most hard-pressed milk producers into some springtime spending.

The Smiddiehill cattle levelled at £2500 and not surprisingly included the day's 6000gns entry. Smiddiehill Roman Thelma couldn't fail to impress with her stature and style. At 27-months, this freshly calved daughter of Bosside Roma Roman is out of the twice 12,000kg-plus Smiddiehill Lucente Thelma.

With her place booked at the National Holstein Show, she heads for the Eola herd of Ian Harries in south Wales after being snapped up following some determined bidding from Mr Harries' son Owain who had taken time off from his studies at Harper Adams to secure the heifer.

A new breed record of 7600gns was paid for a Lincoln Red bull at the society's spring show and sale - a fitting highlight to the breed's dramatic rise in popularity largely fired by the demand for its flavoursome beef.

Following intense competition for the record breaker Market Stainton Harvester, it was breeder Tony Mallon from Norfolk who secured him as a future pedigree sire as well as producer of prime cattle to retail through his farm-shop business.

The sale attracted a bumper crowd to Louth Livestock Centre much to the satisfaction of breed secretary Carol Martin who has been inundated with enquires for cattle in recent months.

"We're getting four or five enquiries every week for Lincoln Red females. The breed's popularity has taken off but I'm thrilled that it's being driven by real farmers who have recognised the breed's true potential," commented a delighted Miss Martin after the sale.

Market Stainton Harvester was consigned by Robert Needham and Son whose herd at Gayton-le-Wold, Louth is among the breed's most famous. This impressive March 2005-bred bull is by Fenton Challenger and on his only show outing he took the junior title and reserve overall championship at the Lincolnshire County Show last summer.

Chased hard by leading breeder Hedley Needler who wanted him for his Walmer herd at Ranby, Lincoln, he was eventually claimed my Mr Mallon who now runs 60-cows in his Westacre herd. He had stood champion on the day.

Aberdeen and Northern Marts is renowned for having a strong following of YFC memebers when it comes to exhibiting the very best of the area's overwintered cattle.

And for the third consecutive year, Belhelvie JAC member Ian Thomson of Middleton of Potterton has lifted the overall championship in a show of young farmers' overwintered cattle for the third consecutive year.

Ian's success came at the culmination of the 2006/07 competition which is run by Aberdeen & Northern Marts in conjunction with the Scottish Association of Young Farmers Clubs, which aims to give young people practical experience in selecting and preparing cattle for show and sale, as well as learning the business skills needed to operate a successful beef finishing enterprise.

A show of cattle took place at Thainstone Centre, Inverurie on Thursday night, with a sale held on Friday morning.

The overall champion and heifer champion was picked by judge Alan Turnbull of Meadowend Farm, Clackmannan from a line-up of nearly 70 entries. It was a March 2006-born Limousin bred by Nairn's MacArthur Brothers of Mid Fleenas which tipped the scales at 452kg and sold at £1600 to James Forsyth, Mid Bishopston, Whithorn, Newton Stewart.

This brings a whole new meaning to marketing sheep! Have to say this idea of farmers getting their sheep on to the big screen to sell to potential buyers sounds rather crazy, but hey it is happening in the Western Isles!!

Check out this report!

Having attracted a catalogue entry of 2537 head, Borderway Mart, Carlisle saw yet another impressive sale of store cattle at their recent Continental cross store cattle show and sale, with bids hitting £5000 for show potential stock.

The first day saw heifers sell up to £5000 or a Limousin cross consigned by Northumberland producer John smith-Jackson. This 12-month old black heifer, sired by Cloughead Titantic and out of a Limousin x Belgian Blue mother, sold to David and Mary Cormack, Thirsk.

Breeders from far and wide came to buy bulls at the Devon Cattle Breeders Society Spring Show and Sale held at Taunton Market.

The champion bull came from G Dart and Sons' old established Champson herd, in the form of Champson Jasper, who sold to top price of the day. This 23 month old son of Primore Thorold 1st out of the Tulip family was purchased by legendary breeder Ken Farmer for his Bywood Herd at 6200 gns.

Well the west country grass has obviously started growing because the store buyers and more importantly their cheque books were out in force at Exeter last week.

Topping the trade were a pair of Charolais cross steers at £650 apiece, while heifers of the same breed made up to £645. And I thought show cattle were making daft money this spring.

With finished prices little more than £50 above these store prices someone's got to be losing money on the steers and unless the heifers are being bought as breeders then it's futile trying to do the sums on them!

Tuesday's sale at Beeston Castle consisted of the Nivelle and Northernline Herds of Pedigree Holsteins, following a change in direction of the business of R & A Ryan of Forncett St. Peter, Norwich who have decided to accept a new share farming opportunity with Sir Nicholas Bacon of nearby Raveningham.

This change in business development involved them taking a proportion of their herd with them; in so doing they decided to take most of the older cows and all the young stock leaving the younger part of the milking portion of the herd for sale.

Prior to this new development in their business, last year they embarked upon on an expansion plan and part of this was the purchase of the entire Stibbard Herd from North Norfolk and it was cows carrying this prefix that dominated the leading bids of the sale.

Only just beating last year's top price of 6200gns, the South Devon Herd Book Society's spring show and sale at Exeter saw a total clearance of 27 bulls and 17 heifers, with a top call of 6300gns.

Taking the top price on the day was Richard Harvey's polled bull Z Sexton Poll Hermes 2, which sold to J B Fentem and Sons, Ashbourne, Derbyshire.