FARMER FOCUS: Stirling Bull Sale
Last month, I had one of the most enjoyable days ever. It was a great honour and experience to be asked to judge the Simmental breed at the Stirling Bull Sale, writes Iain Green.
I was very lucky that the bull I placed overall Champion stood out and was an easy winner. Little did I realise at that time he would go on to make a UK record price for the breed, more than doubling the previous records and selling for 45,000gns.
I liked his size, confirmation, style and length and decided to purchase him.
My near neighbour Andrew Anderson of Smallburn Farms thought the same about the bull and we decided to share him, which helped soften the blow.
Our own cattle sold well with our heifer selling for the top female price on the day of 6,000gns. We also received a top price of 10,500gns for one of our bulls.
Over the last two weeks, the ground has dried enough to allow us to apply the first of application of fertilizer to winter wheat, winter barley and grass. All we need now is some warm spring weather.
This is my final contribution to the Farmer Focus pages. I started writing back in 2005 and have enjoyed it immensely. Thanks must go to everyone that I have met and spoken to while writing these articles. Hopefully you have had insight to farming in Moray.
Finally, I would like to thank all the FarmersWeekly staff, particularly the livestock desk, for putting up with me for the past eight years and wish all the farmers and readers a prosperous future.
Iain Green farms 1,110ha (2,740 acres) as a family partnership. The stock includes 130 pedigree Simmentals, 330 Simmental-crosses, plus followers, 500 Highland Mule ewes and 340 sows. The partnership also runs a large haulage business.
Read more from our other livestock Farmer Focus writers