Hereford records broken at Designer Genes Sale

Shrewsbury market hosted the third Designer Genes Sale of Hereford genetics over the weekend (7-8 December), with breed bull, female, semen and embryo records broken.

Bull trade only consisted of one lot, but it didn’t disappoint, topping at 13,000gns, setting a new record for UK polled Hereford bulls. The record-breaker was Hereford Champion of Europe Coley 1 Pilot.

The 23-month-old sire was from Miss H Whittaker, Norwood Green, Halifax, and had already been crowned UK Hereford bull of the year and Hereford Champion of Europe, with a place in the world championships in January.

He was knocked down to G and MC Shepherd, Moorside Polled Herefords. He is out of Romany 1 Ishbel and by Coley 1 Maverick.

See also: How a Hereford breeder is increasing cow efficiency

Coley 1 Pilot broke UK polled Hereford records selling for 13,000gns © MacGregor Photography

Heifers to 8,000gns

Three heifers made 8,000gns, the first a pick of a pair of autumn 2018 heifer calves Kylie KS R1 from T and D Harrison, Moralee Herefords, Northumberland, which sold to L and L Bowen, Bowendu Herefords, which selected Kylie as the pick of two heifers.

Moralee Kylie KS R1 © MacGregor Photography

Also at 8,000gns was the only horned entry in the sale, a 15-month-old heifer from PJR and LR Vincent, Pulham Herefords, Norfolk.

Pulham Dowager 4th was sold to the Norman Farming Partnership to join their Hickling herd of Herefords. She is a Haven Hotspur daughter out of Haven Dowager 161.

One of three females to hit 8,000gns was Pulham Dowager 4 © MacGregor Photography

The final of the three females to hit 8,000gns was the Agri Expo Supreme Champion Sky High 1 Luscious Lucy from B Birch & G Brindley, Sky High Herefords, Staffordshire.

A maternal sister to the record breaking female Lâncome Lucy and sired by Kingsize, she was knocked down to Nick Griffiths, Grifford Herefords, Staffordshire. Following the sale, Sky High Herefords bought back at half share in the female which is now owned in partnership between Grifford and Sky High.

Sky High 1 Luscious Lucy © MacGregor Photography

Global genetics sale

Moeskaer Herefords, Denmark, consigned 20 straws of Hereford Champion of the World Moeskaer Compass 1487, which sold for £460/straw (European Hereford record) to Monte Lowderman of Lowderman Cattle Company, US.

Five straws of the $95,000 Australian record-priced bull Minlacowie Jubilant J123 were put forward by Ghyll Beck Hereford Stud England, as a donation lot for the UK Hereford Youth.

They sold for £150/straw to Normanton Herefords, Leicestershire. In total 125 straws of semen were sold to average £91.60.

The embryo section saw more records broken, topping at £6,000 for a package of three embryos from the Gouldingpoll herd in Ireland. The Remitall Super Duty 42S x Dorepoll 1 R51 Duchess 525 embryos were sold to Willie Ryan, Ireland, for the European Hereford record price of £2,000 an embryo. In total, 44 embryos sold to average £570.45.

Four flushes from Harvie Ranching & RSK Farms (Canada), Las Anitas (Uruguay), Otapawa (New Zealand) and Moralee (England) were also sold in the Friday night sale.

A pick of the cow herd flush from Cabana Las Anitas in Uruguay sold for £5,000 to MJT Herefords, Alberta, Canada.

A flush on the Hereford Miss World (RVP 51X Ablaze 7A) was consigned by Harvie Ranching & RSK Farms, selling for £3,000 to DRA Fabb (England) and Moeskaer Polled Herefords (Denmark). The four flushes sold to average £2,950.

Overall, the Friday sale of frozen genetics grossed a total of £48,350 across 16 lots with a 100% clearance.

Averages: 125 straws of semen, £91.60; 44 embryos, £570.45; four flushes, £2,950; one bull, £13,650; 15 heifers, £5,873;16 live lots, £6,359.06 (Halls, Hexham Marts)