Angus Society enjoying export boom
The Aberdeen-Angus breed is enjoying a mini-export boom with the sale of 12 young bulls from four Cheshire breeders to France and six bulls and 51 heifers from 15 Irish breeders to Portugal and the Azores.
This follows the sale at Perth last month of two bulls to Germany at 10,000gns and 6000gns, another to Romania at 5200gns and five bulls from two Scottish herds to Denmark.
“The development of export sales has been a priority for us during the last two years,” said Ron McHattie, chief executive of the Aberdeen-Angus Cattle Society.
“The time and effort our members have put in attending exhibitions and promoting the breed in Continental Europe is now beginning to bear fruit and benefiting breeders throughout the UK and Ireland.”The 12 bulls to France were selected by Dutch importer, Fons Van Ackeren and Wright Manley chief auctioneer, Clive Norbury, and comprised seven from Geoff Biddulph’s Pexhill herd at Dale House Farm, Gawsworth, Macclesfield, two from Norman Belfield’s Daneside herd at Banking Edge, Wildboar Clough, Macclesfield, two from Mrs Katie Waterworth’s Eddisbury herd at Eddisbury Lodge, Delamere, Northwich, and one from former breed president, Nigel Hammill’s Tegsnose herd at Pyegreave Farm, Coalpit Lane, Langley, Macclesfield.
Confirmation of the order was ‘phoned to Mr Hammill during the Perth bull sales and the bulls were shipped from the Beeston collection centre on March 1.
“This is the first export opportunity we as an auction company have had for pedigree beef cattle,” said Mr Norbury. “We are excited about the prospect of further business which is a reflection of the growing demand in Europe for our British Aberdeen-Angus cattle.”
Mr Hammill is also behind the exports from Ireland which were brokered by the new secretary of the Aberdeen-Angus breed society in Portugal, Paolo Costa, who visited the UK last year but could not source from herds in England or Scotland because of livestock movement restrictions.
The purchase of stock was organised by the Irish Aberdeen-Angus Association and export administration by Sheila Eggleston of Eggs-Port Ltd, Hexham, Northumberland.
“The cattle are now safely in Portugal and the Azores and the importing farmers are very happy with their purchases,” Mr Hammill reports. “They are pleasantly surprised at how easy the cattle are to handle compared with their native breeds.”
Mr Hammill has accepted an invitation to judge the Aberdeen-Angus and cross-bred beef cattle classes at the annual cattle show in the Azores later this year.
A bull and 20 heifers have gone to Roland Winter in Portugal and five bulls and 31 heifers to 11 farmers in the Azores.