Thainstone calves sell to £6000

An Aberdeenshire farmer emerged the victor in a bidding battle for a yearling heifer at Scotland’s premier calf show – The Spectacular at Inverurie’s Thainstone
Centre.

But Harry Emslie, Kinknockie, Mintlaw, had to go to £6,000 to win Miss Unique, a daughter of Linarn Unique, the first Limousin bull he bred from his now 50-cow pedigree herd.

The 454kg heifer, out of a Belgian Blue cross, was from Andrew Anderson, Smallburn Farms, Plewlands, Duffus, Elgin, Morayshire and had earlier stood reserve heifer champion.

Mr Emslie was determined to get the heifer from Mr Anderson who had bought Linarn Unique for 4600gn two years ago. She had over the summer show season stood reserve at Sutherland County and reserve female at Nairn.

“She is a tremendous heifer and well balanced. I can see potential in her and I hope she will do as well as the bull calves I have from the bull,” said Mr Emslie, who will be taking his purchase out on the winter show circuit.The heifer and steer championships went to Balfour Baillie, Sebay Cottage, Tankerness, Orkney.

His steer leader, a 376kg home-bred six-month-old Belgian Blue cross by Oxcroft Tom and out of a bought-in Limousin cross, went on to take the show’s supreme title and sold at £1900 to noted cattle showman Bertie Paton, of The Spott, Glenprosen, Kirriemuir, Angus.

Mr Baillie’s heifer champ, a 422kg home-bred nine-month-old Limousin cross by Salomon and out of Belgian Blue cross, sold at £750 to judge Mark Hallam, Meadowhurst, Wetton, Ashbourne, Derby.

Mr Baillie has 80 cows. His two champions had been destined for the East Mainland and County shows in Orkney, but they fell victim to the foot-and-mouth controls last month.

Mr Anderson’s reserve steer – a 10-month-old 472kg Limousin cross, also by Linarn Unique and out of a Belgian Blue cross – made £1500 to Wilson Peters, Cuilt Farmhouse, Monzie, Crieff, Perthshire.

Mr Hallam said both he and fellow judge Alistair Vance, Bridgehouse Farm, Sorbie, Wigtownshire, were unanimous in their choice for the supreme.

“He was very fleshy and a good show steer,” said Mr Hallam, who last year lifted the supreme title at the Royal Smithfield Christmas Fair at Shepton Mallet, Somerset.

Averages: 39 steers sold to average 193p per kg/ £878.72 a head, against 222.3p/£1,049.89 last year. The 27 heifers averaged 223.51p/ £961.85, compared to 326.1p/£1,282.58 (Aberdeen and Northern Marts).