Stirling Bull Sales 2012: Aberdeen Angus money makers

 

The Aberdeen Angus bull trade was described as “challenging” by the society’s Ron McHattie and the day saw the female trade hitting the headlines with a top call of 24,000gns.

 

“It was challenging to sell bulls today. We saw a 50% clearance rate, which compares to 60% at this time last year, but we did have more bulls forward this year,” he said.

 

Mr McHattie blamed a number of factors, but said the main reason was timing.

 

“It wasn’t a classic show of bulls, but mostly it reflects the time of year. Many are facing a long, hard winter and maybe some don’t want to house bulls over the winter.

 

“I expect we’ll see an uplift in the Spring trade,” he said.

 

Overall 38 bulls were sold to average £4,012, compared to 42 bulls sold to £4,650 last year.

 

The production sale of the Rawburn herd saw the top overall price for the breed with the top call of 24,000gns for heifer Rawburn Edith K180 (Lot 169 – pictured above). Put forward by John Elliot Esq, Roxburgh Mains, Kelso, she is a Rawburn Randolph F555 daughter out of Rawburn Edith C270.

 

She is due to calve in January to Oackchurch Fieldmarshall and has the highest terminal index for a female ever sold in the UK at +52, with a SRI of +63.

 

John Elliot described Edith’s sire as “possibly the greatest bull we have bred, His daughters excel maternally and are nor the dams of the best calves born in the herd.”

 

She heads to Marsdens Farms, Liley Farm, Penistone, South Yorkshire.

 

 

At 13,000gns (Lot 171 – above), was another from the Rawburn offering, this time, Rawburn Mary Princess K097. She is due to calve in January to Oakchurch Fieldmarshall and is by Rawburn Enigma. In 2011 her sire bred sons to 30,000gns and daughters to 12,000gns.

 

 

Rawburn genetics remained popular in the next sale at 10,000gns (Lot 72 – above), this time for Halbeath Kansas L429, a April 2011 born bull from Messrs R and N Orr, Halbeath Far, Dunfermline.

 

He is by Rawburn Elysium F547 and out of Halbeath Kay F237 and has a TSI of +40 and a SRI of +45. He joins the herd of Brewis at Eastfield, Kelso, Roxburghshire.

 

 

Then at 6,200gns was Mosston Muir Major Boy L274 (Lot 60 – above), from Thomas M C Rennie Esq, Mosston Muir Farm, By Forfar.

 

This one is by Mosston Muir Inner H202 and out of Mosston Muir Beautiful Megan F153 and sold to Norbreck Genetics, Norbreck Farm, Lancaster with a TSI of +39 and a SRI of +52.

 

 

Blelack Emperor L689 (Lot 82 – above) from Messrs N F Massie and Sons sold for 6,000gns.

 

He is by Netherallan Peter Pershore E052 and out of Blelack Evora D988 and has a TSI of +46 and a SRI of +55. He went to Liam Muir.

 

At the same money was a female from the major sale of the Mosston Muir herd of Thomas M C Rennie.

 

Mosston Muir Lady Iris K259 (Lot 158) is by Hallington Walter F118 and out of Mosston Muir Lady Iris F134 and sold to Mr Rankin, Kilmaluag, Isle of Sky. She has a TSI +26 and SRI of +31 and has been Ai’d to Lord Ross.