Highland females in demand at Oban

Yearlingheifers and calves were the centre of attention at the Highland Cattle breed’smain female show in Oban on Monday.

Astrong entry captivated the ringside, with a string of high three-figure andlow four-figure prices being paid for them.

HighlandCattle Society secretary Hazel Baxter was delighted with the trade for theyounger animals. Older cattle, however, found the market tougher, a reflectionof the quality of many of them.

Itwas a March-born yellow-white heifer calf from Tom Nelson’s Glengorm Estate onthe Isle of Mull that led the sale at 3100gn.

BheadareachdGrinn 6 of Glengorm was bought by P. A. and S. A. Smith for a new fold theyare establishing at Dorefield House, Peterchurch, Herefordshire.

Sheis by Achadh Chuilter of Ormsary, Glengorm’s new stock bull and bought lastFebruary for 5800gns. Dam was  Alison 1of Glengorm, one of 70 cows at Glengorm.

MrNelson also sold at  2500gns thethree-year-old black heifer, Furan Seorach 5 of Glengorm. She was byDealbhach Graidhein Dubh of Knockendon and out of Furan Seorach 3 ofGlengorm.

Buyerwas another new breeder, Charlie Robertson, who runs Buchan Potato Growers inFraserburgh, Aberdeenshire.

MrRobertson acquired at  2000gns a redheifer, Dorta 3 of Auchtenny. This March, 2007, daughter of Kyle ofTordarroch and out of Dorta 2 of Tullach Ard, was bred by Ginny Stacy-Marks,of Auchtenny, Path of Condie, Forgandenny, Perthshire.

Thethird new breeder buying at the sale was Gordon Snowie, of Inverdunning,Stirling. He has in recent weeks taken delivery of 16 Highlanders and isexpecting to create a 50-cow fold.

Hepaid  2900gns for the senior heiferchampion, Carolina of Idvies, a black four-year-old by Black Prince 2 ofIdvies and  out of Capleadh 15 of Rigg,and her August-born red calf, Conner of Idvies, at foot. Both were bred byGordon Mitchell, of Idvies Estate, Letham, Angus.

MrSnowie then paid 2400gn for the reserve cow champion, Virginia Buidhe of Cnoc,a yellow five-year-old  by Angus Ruadh ofArdtornich and out of Yana Buidhe of Cnoc, and her January-born heifer calf,Virginia 2 of Cnoc, at foot.

Virginia,a third calver in-calf to Brogach of Culfoich, was consigned by Sydney and Maureen O’Hara, of Cnoc Lodge, Appin,Argyll.

MrMitchell’s supreme female champion, Sylvia of Idvies, a black 29-month-oldheifer also by Black Prince 2nd of Idvies and out of Morag of Craigowmill, wasbid to 2000gn by Gary Braines, of Mill House, 10 Mill Street, Millfield,Sunderland.

MrBraines, who runs an office removal firm, started breeding Highlanders twoyears and ago and now has 38 animals in his fold.

Thenumbers of Highlanders sold at 1000gn or more was up 11 to 39. There was againstrong demand from the continent, with 25 cattle heading to new homes inIreland, Denmark, France and Germany.

The16 three-year-old heifers sold to average £1385, the 22 two-year-olds £999,the 20 yearlings £601, the 22 haltered heifer calves £794, the  seven cows and senior heifers  £1336.

Auctioneers:Caledonian Marts (Stirling) Ltd.