Love for Limousins as trade tops 28,000gns at Carlisle
The Valentine Day sale of Limousin bulls at Carlisle may not have realised the six figure sums seen at previous sales, but did have bidders digging deep with seven bulls selling at five figure sums and a high of 28,000gns.
Leading trade was Haltcliffe Imperial consigned by the Haltcliffe Herd, New Market, Wigton. This Ampertaine Elgin son is full of good breeding and is out of the highly noted dam Cloughhead Romany. Purchasing the August 2013 bull was Procters Farm, Slaidburn, Clitheroe.
Commenting on his purchase, Procters farm manager Gary Swindlehurst said: “It was the depth of breeding first and foremost that attracted me, as we have nothing from that cow family in the herd. We hope he’ll click with the powerful Haltcliffe DJ females we have. He’s a proper Limousin in appearance and type with a good top, great plates as well as an EBV which suggests a little more fat cover as required nowadays.”
The bull will likely have semen taken off on-farm with a view to going out with cows in May whose Procters Herd numbers 70 pures and 30 recipients.
The 110-strong pedigree herd of breeding females at Haltcliffe had previously won two overall championships at this February fixture with the 100,000gns Haltcliffe Vermount and the 72,000gns Haltcliffe DJ – both purchased by Procters Farms.
It was a good couple of days for Eric and Elaine Norman, Little Orton Farm, Carlisle who from a fine pen sold bulls at 22,000gns and 20,000gns respectively and seven in all to gross 68,000gns. At 22,000gns was Norman Inventor. This October 2013-born bull, who stood second in his class to the Normans’ Junior Champion, is by the herd’s prolific sire Claragh Franco and is out of the Heathmount Trojan daughter Norman Crystal. This bull went for export when sold to Michael Phillips, Eire.
At 20,000gns was the Norman’s junior champion and overall supreme champion Norman Infusion, another by the Wilodge Vantastic son, Claragh Franco, who was purchased for 24,000gns in May 2011 when Junior Champion at Carlisle. Also October 2013 born, Norman Infusion is out of the Glangwden Bigboy daughter Norman Elsie. Purchasing the champion was James Tennant who runs 150 suckler cows alongside the 20-strong Lissett pedigree herd at Bridlington, East Yorkshire.
Commenting on his buy Mr Tennant said: “This was a typical modern Limousin, a good mover with a great second thigh, and whose sire is breeding very consistently.”
In all, seven bulls made 10,000gns and over with 33 making 5,000gns or more. Commenting on the trade, British Limousin Cattle Society chief executive Iain Kerr said: “It was a solid sale that saw a 71% clearance of the 129 bulls forward for sale. Averages from the high set last year were back a bit but very much in line with 2013. Purchasers have been able to secure some first class bulls at sensible prices and offering real value.”
Next in the money at 17,000gns and 12,500gns was Henry Savage and Sons, Altnamackin, Newry, Northern Ireland. At 17,000gns was the third prize-winning bull, Trueman Idol, who now heads to the Garnedd Limousin herd of KI and E and HI Jones, Bryn Ddraenan, Betws-y-Coed, Gwynedd. An August 2013-born embryo calf, Trueman Idol is by Ampertaine Elgin and is out of the homebred dam Trueman Euphonium, a Wilodge Vantastic daughter.
Realising 12,500gns was the same-way bred Trueman Iglesias, who sold to the Fieldson prefix of JW and ME Fieldson, Gainsborough, Lincs.
The second bull at 12,500gns, Millgate Invest, was purchased by Kevin Watret, Northfield Park, Annan, Dumfriesshire for his Annanview prefix. August 2013-born, Millgate Invest was consigned by Michael Loughran, Cookstown, Co Tyrone being a Swarland Eddie son and out of Millgate Emma, a Mas Du Clo granddaughter, who is full sister to the 18,000gns Millgate Caesar, Supreme Champion at Carlisle in February 2009.
A second bull heading for export to the Republic of Ireland was the senior champion Goldies Informer from Bruce Goldie, Dumfries when snapped up for 10,500gns by Dan Tynan, Co Laois. Informer is by the Wilodge Fantastic-sired Goldies Fortress, a bull retained as stock sire in the herd and being a full brother to Goldies Fandango. The dam, Goldies Elisa, is a daughter of Ampertaine Bravo (by Sympa).
The intermediate champion and reserve overall, Maraiscote Ingemar, was the next leading price at 9,000gns this time for Ian Nimmo, Wishaw, Lanark. Ingemar is by the prolific sire, Goldies Comet, and is out of the Virginia Andy daughter Maraiscote Duchess. This bull now heads to SJ Smith, Sunnyhill Croft, Turriff, Aberdeenshire.
Two further bulls made 9,000gns: Tweeddale Irnbru, by Goldies Goldmine and out of Tweeddale Bonny, from Jonathan Watson, Bowsden Moor, Berwick upon Tweed when knocked down to R and J Temple, , Lockerbie, Dumfriesshire; and the black bull Swarland Black Igolo, by Emslies Enigma and out of Swarland Rosanna (granddam to the 10,000gns Swarland Eddie), from A and D Proctor, Swarland Old Hall, Morpeth who sold to Robert Neill and Partners, Jedburgh, Roxburgh.
Averages
23 senior bulls, £4,231.96; 37 intermediate bulls, £5,369.19; 31 junior bulls, £6,713.23; overall 91 Bulls, £5,539.62