Stirling Bull Sales: Rawburn Angus sell to 26,000gns

Quantity of Aberdeen Angus bulls may have down, but the quality and prices certainly weren’t at this week’s Stirling sale with the production sale from John Elliot’s Rawburn Herd setting the trade alight with a 26,000gns high. Trade was up almost £1,500 on the year despite numbers forward almost half.

26,000gns Rawburn Joy Erica F560

Sale leader from the consignment of four was the fourth calver the March 2006 born cow Rawburn Joy Erica F560 by Rawburn Extra Edition D258 and out of Rawburn Joy Erica C213. She is due in April with her fifth calf by Netherallan Peter Pershore and is described by Mr Elliot as being one of the best cows he has ever sold from the Rawburn herd. She sells with a TSI of +50 and an SRI of +66 to Gordon Brooke, Earleston, Scottish Borders.

Mr Brooke then went on to pay for some of his purchase when securing the next highest price of 12,000gns (lot 18) for the January 2012 born bull Linton Gilbertines Rocco M603.

12,000gns Linton Gilbertines Rocco M603

This Netherallan Peter Pershore E052 son is out of Elliot Rosebud E009 who was purchased in the Elliot herd reduction for 9,000gns. This bull has always been outstanding in the herd and has a TSI of +44 and SRI of +58. He heads home with John Elliot of the Rawburn herd, Roxburgh Mains, Kelso.

Next in the money with a five figure sum of 11,000gns was the overall champion from A and C Bishop, Wokingham with Warrenho Elite M417 (lot 24). This February 2012 born son of Warrenho Dalmigavie G237 is no stranger to the show scene after taking the interbreed championship at the South of England Show. Dalmigavie was also the Royal Show champion in 2009 and the sire of last October’s Stirling champion. Elite sells with a TSI of +29 and SRI of +36 to Angus Neish of the Rodmead herd, Wiltshire.

11,000gnsoverall champion from A and C Bishop, Wokingham with Warrenho Elite M417

The Bishop’s also secured the next highest lot with the reserve overall champion Warrenho Emperor M425 (lot 26) selling for 9,000gns. Also sired by Dalmigavie G237 this one is out of Eastfield Ethelda Y279 and took the junior male champion title at the National Show earlier this year. He sold with at TSI of +37 and an SRI of +47 to N Wattie, Alford, Aberdeenshire.

Reserve overall champion Warrenho Emperor M425 (lot 26) selling for 9,000gns.

A great shape bull was the next lot to set the ring alight with Hallington Lord Tim M358 from Messrs Alan Lawson and Son, Newcastle upon Tyne (lot 34). Selling for 6,500gns, this Nightingale Proud Jake G405 son out of the two-year-old heifer Hallington Lady J250 heads home with Mr Dixon, Newcastle and Mr Walton, Morpeth.

Mr Brooke was back in the money with Linton Gilbertines Pryor Star M610 (lot 23), a son of the 28,000gns Galawater Bentley H495. Out of Belhaven Pole Star, who was bought for 5,500gns, sells with a TSI of +43 and an SRI of +51 to Messrs Flett, Orkney.

Going under the hammer at 6,000gns was an entry from the Rawburn Herd of John Elliot with Rawburn Mambo Prince M499 (Lot 33). Sired by the same bull as the sale leader from Mr Brooke he is out of Rawburn Mambo Princess H841 and sells with a TSI of +50 and an SRI of +63 to Marsden Farms, Yorkshire.

X HEAD RAWBURN PRODUCTION SALE

Following on from the 26,000gns high from Rawburn Joy Erica F560, other top prices in the Rawburn production sale included a 8,000gns bid for (lot 143) Rawburn Ellen Erica L270. This Rawburn Elmer J921 daughter is out of Rawburn Ellen Erica J926 and is due in January to the 40,000gns bull Rawburn Black Hawk L261. Mr Elliot says it was one of the hardest decisions when deciding whether to offer Erica L270 for sale due to her faultless performance and pedigree. She will also be one of the first females to calve to Linton Gilbertines herd sire, the 40,000gns Black Hawk L261. She went home with Clarence House Farm, Yearsley, York.

Selling at 7,500gns was Lakewood Mossy Princess L124 by Rawburn Evolution G691 and out of Lakewood Mossy Princess D015. She is also due in January to Rawburn Black Hawk L261.

Commenting on trade Ron McHattie, chief executive of the Aberdeen Angus Society said: “ Price is up on last year due to a combination of supply and demand and despite their being a smaller number for sale the quality was better so prices were up on last year.”

Only 29 bulls were forward for sale with 19 selling (66% clearance), about half of what were forward last year. Mr McHattie believed sellers were holding back for the spring.

“Percentage clearance was pretty much the same as last year. It’s not that we were selling less, there were just less bulls for sale,” he said.

The average price was £5,466. Last year this was £4,012.