Taking Stock: Stirling Salers trade hits record of 12,000gns twice

An exceptional sale of Salers cattle in Stirling saw two joint-record prices of 12,000gns and averages lift £1,895 to a record £6,983.

The Boyd and MacKenzie families now share the breed sale record, after pipping the 11,000gns record set by the Liveseys with Cleughhead Kingpin at Castle Douglas in November.

First at this money was the Sancy son Drumaglea Kingpin 2, from P Boyd, Cornaigmore, Isle of Tiree, knocking down to the McClymonts, Newton Stewart, Wigtownshire.

He is out of Drumaglea Alice, one of the herd’s best dams, and was born in April 2015.

Drumaglea Kingpin 2 © Tim Scrivener

Matching the new record was Whitebog Kracker, snapped up by Northamptonshire breeder PM and SM Donger, Foxley, Towcester, and bred by A MacKenzie, Fortrose, Ross-shire.

He is by Seawell Diplomat and out of Whitebog Tilli, and was born in July 2015.

Whitebog Kracker © Tim Scrivener

See also: Salers lead pedigree beef offering at Carlisle

Best sale yet

Salers Cattle Society chairman Terence Pye said trade was probably the best sale to date and that the breed was now the ninth-largest beef breed in the country.

“Most bulls sold at Stirling generally go to commercial bidders, but the two record-breakers were both bought by pedigree buyers,” Mr Pye told Farmers Weekly.

“Salers can go under the radar a bit because we are all about breeding cows and very often calves and stores sold in the marts are dubbed Charolais-cross or Limousin-cross – they are out of Salers females but you don’t hear about them.

“There has been a particular trend among Charolais people to use Salers cattle. They are easy calving, both because bulls produce small, long, thin calves and because the cows have large pelvises.”

Whitebog cattle were again in the money at 10,000gns with the day’s overall male champion, Whitebog Kipper, which caught the eye of the McCornick family, Newton Stewart.

The July-born bull is out of Whitebog Emily and by Whitebog Sandy.

Whitebog Kipper © Tim Scrivener

The reserve champion, Strathallan Klondyke, made 5,000gns for Murray Lyle, Dunblane.

This April 2015-born bull is rated at +10 for 200-day weight and +16 for 400-day weight and is of Cleuchhead breeding, a son of Cleuchhead Chief and out of Cleuchhead Carat.

Females

A run of seven heifers under the Cumbrian prefix from Farmstock Genetics, Lindean, Selkirk, levelled at £1,905, with the top-priced heifers both hitting 2,000gns and heading home with the Fettes, Garmouth, Fochabers.

The first at this money was the polled Cumbrian Vermille 787. The homebred dam is out of Vermille 463 and by Joker.

Her stablemate, also polled, was Cumbrian Jolie 789, another Joker daughter but this time out of Cumbrian Jolie 536.

A total of 16 females, all from Farmstock Genetics, eventually found homes post-sale, resulting in a 100% clearance and female averages that were £125 down on the year.

Averages: 10 bulls, £6,983 (+£1,895); seven heifers, £1,905 (-£125)