Stirling Bull Sales: Limousins sell to 12,500gns
Commercial beef producers led a strong demand for Limousin bulls at Stirling earlier this week with 70 bulls averaging £5,247 up by £862 on the year and grossing £367,290.
Leading trade was the 12,500gns Elrick Handsome from Michael Massie, Mains of Elrick, Aberdeenshire. In the pre-sale show, this April 2012-born bull had been placed as reserve overall supreme champion and senior champion by the judge Gary Oag, who runs the Brims Herd at Thurso, Caithness.
Elrick Handsome from Michael Massie, Aberdeenshire sold for
12,500gns
Elrick Handsome is a heifer’s calf out of Elrick Emily and by Craigatoke Dundee, a Haltcliffe Underwriter son, who was purchased at Carlisle in 2011. Purchasing the top price bull, who also carried a Beef Value of LM+38, was Walter Cruikshank for his Clury pedigree herd at Clury Farm, Dulnain Bridge, Grantown on Spey.
Three bulls in all made five figures with the second top price being the 12,000gns paid for Newhouse Hartley from Messrs RM Adam and Son, Newhouse of Glamis, Angus. This upstanding bull weighed in at 1,065kgs and stood second in his class to the reserve junior champion who also came from the Adam team.
Newhouse Hartley from Newhouse of Glamis, Angus sold for 12,000gns.
Newhouse Hartley is by Rosecroft Duke, a Grahams Unbeatable son that was purchased privately after Bob Adam had seen him while judging at the Royal Welsh Show. He is out of the homebred Newhouse Fay, a daughter of the 19,000gns Hudscales Bigboy. Carrying a big Beef Value of LM+46, Newhouse Hartley was purchased by Robert McNee, Dundee.
The Newhouse herd, which comprises of 40 red cows, and 30 black cows, sold eight bulls in all to gross £45,465. Other prices included bulls at 6,400gns, 4800gns, and two at 4,500gns.
Commenting after the sale, British Limousin Cattle Society chief executive Iain Kerr said: “As a whole, the sale saw a good quality, level show of bulls meet with a ready demand from predominantly commercial beef producers. The standard and consistency of bulls forward saw a strong middle trade with 29 bulls in all making over 5,000gns.”
The overall supreme champion and intermediate champion was Allanfauld Highland Park from Archie and John MacGregor. The championship completed a unique hat-trick that has seen the herd lift the overall supreme award at three consecutive Limousin sales held at Stirling. Full of breeding, this June 2012-born bull is by the proven Sympa-sired Haltcliffe Underwriter, a bull purchased privately for the herd some three years ago, and is out of Allanfauld Chelsea described as one of the MacGregors’ ‘favourite’ cows in the herd.
The overall supreme champion Allanfauld Highland Park from Archie and John MacGregor sold for 10,000gns
Commenting on his champion, the judge Gary Oag said: “This was a great carcass animal with the style to go with it. He was full of muscle, had great width, impressive second thigh, and had the presence and breed character to go with it.” Purchasing the day’s champion, who had a Beef Value of LM+33, at the 10,000gns mark was Balfour Baillie, Tankerness, Orkney.
Messrs JR MacGregor, Dyke Farm, Glasgow made 8,500gns when selling Dyke Highlander to Hartside Farms, Biggar, Lanarkshire. A first prize winner from the first class of the day and the strong senior section, this March 2012 bull is by Cloughhead Delboy and is out of Dyke Amazon. Amazon is a full sister to Dyke Triumph who himself was sold for 7,000gns and has been a noted suckled calf breeder. The Dyke herd went on to sell Dyke Humbug for 5,000gns, and Dyke Harry for 3,800gns.
Averages:
70 bulls £5247 (+£862) (United Auctions)