“Healthy” Limousin trade at Carlisle

Having recovered from the lengthy journey from Kent to Carlisle for the Limousin sale at the weekend, I can now grace you with some of the pics of the money makers from the sale.

Overall, enthusiasm wasn’t as manic as I have seen it, but trade was steady with plenty of interest in bulls with good breeding values and health status. Readers of this blog will be aware how “health status” is proving to be my two buzz words of the year, and the Limousin society’s step to promoting breeders’ health declerations in the front of the catalogue is a huge progressive step in my book.

I would, however, like to see the Northern Irish breeders follow suit, as most of theirs simply stated TB testing intervals.

Now down to business…………topping the day’s trade was the intermediate and reserve overall champion from Martin Conway, who sold Craigatoke Apache for 30,000gns to Paul Dawes, Dinmore Manor Estate, with Richard Bartle doing the bidding.

Bart also raised his hand to secure Maraiscote Arnie from Messrs Nimmo, Lanarkshire, for 13,000gns.

Second highest call came from J Thomson, who bought Robert Graham’s Samy-sired Grahams Arkle for 26,000gns.

Christine Williams took home Clydevalley Arty from Co Antrim-based Stephen Clyde for 24,000gns.

Taking home the junior and overall champion in the form of Goldies Bob was Goulding Genetics from Co Cork, Southern Ireland, who paid 20,000gns.

Suckler producer and regular Smithfield exhibitor Hugh Dunlop dug deep to find 13,00gns for George and Pat Long’s Millbrow Bellman.

Leading the females was Buriton Estates with Miscombe April, a Nobel-sired heifer which sold to M Allan, Aberdeen for 2800gns.

David and Mary Cormack sold twin heifers by Ronick Gains for 2500gns a piece to Co Londonderry-based McKinney Bros.

Averages: 60 senior bulls £3896.68; 76 intermediate bulls £5053.82; 49 junior bulls £4268.57; 4 served maiden heifers £1837.50 and 21 maiden heifers £1435 (Harrison and Hetherington).