Tweedale dispersal tops 13,000gns
Trade surpassed expectations when the noted British Blue Tweeddale herd of Jonathan Watson and his uncle Brian Redhead, Bowsden Moor Farm, Northumberland, went under the hammer last week (21 August) and secured a top call of 13,000gns.
More than 65 head were forward for sale, along with 102 frozen embryos.
Emotions were running high for Mr Watson when the first lot through the ring, the summer show stopper Tweeddale Hawkeye sold.
The April 2012-born daughter of Tweeddale Ebony has had a successful year, taking breed and interbreed champion at the Great Yorkshire Show, breed champion at the Royal Welsh Show and reserve female champion at the Highland Show.
Mr Watson said it was the ‘saddest moment’ selling Hawkseye. “It was a big decision before the sale whether to sell her or not and I would love to have kept her as she is just perfect in every way. She even appeared on the One Show at the Great Yorkshire Show,” he told Farmers Weekly.
In calf to the Limousin bull Goldies Goldmine, she sold with a calving ease of -1.1% and a 200 day weight of +19 to father and daughter Chris and Claire Beal, Abbey Farm, Yorkshire.
Miss Beal said: “We have brought her as a foundation heifer to start a small, quality blue herd. We are aiming to develop the herd futher using her and her embryos.”
She travelled back home with two other purchases from the sale and will join their stockbull Tweeddale Fireman, which is currently being used on some of their commercial cattle.
The Tweeddale herd was formed eight years ago with foundation stock from the Broomfield and Harestone herds and five females from Belgium and was being dispersed so Mr Watson could focus on his pedigree Limousin and Charolais herds.
Next came two bids at 8,000gns. First at this money was another in-calf heifer Tweeddale Inhance, also by the homebred Ebony, who is in the top 5% of the breed for 200-day growth and top 10% for carcass weight, and out of Tweeddale Enhance.
With a Calving Ease of -1.2% and a 200 day weight of +19 she headed across the border with Jenny Devine and Martyn Hill, Biggar, Lanarkshire.
The young black bull Tweeddale Jebony was next at this money. By Tweeddale Hebony and out of Tweeddale Flutter, who won first prize at Borderway Agri Expo and Stars of the Future in 2011, he sold with a calving ease of -0.4% and a 200 day weight of +14 to TM and EE Williams, Llanidloes, Powys.
A bid of 7,200gns then secured a blue roan cow and calf outfit for M Jones, Telford, Shropshire. Tweeddale Fussy by Etna De L’Ecluse and out of Emise De L Happe sold with her July-born bull calf Tweeddale Kracker, who is sired by Tweeddale Guinness.
Selling for 7,000gns was the blue roan maiden heifer Tweeddale Jezabel. By Mountjoy Utopia and out of Tweeddale Escort she sold with a calving ease of -0.7% and a 200 day weight of +8 to EH Pennie and Son, Montgomery, Powys.
The Beal family again dug deep in their wallet this time to secure the 2012-born cow Tweeddale Hesther. By Gitan Du Pti’t Mayeur and out of Tweeddale Esther, she sold with a calving ease of -2 and a 200 day weight of +14 for 6,800gns.
This was followed by two bids of 6,000gns. First at this price was Tweeddale Hopefull an ET daughter of Imperial De L’Ecluse and out of Justesse De Fooz. Served on 5 July to Mountjoy Utopia she sold with her foster April 2015 born heifer calf Tweeddale Kardashian, who is by Tweeddale Guinness. With a calving ease of -1.6% and a 200-day weight of +3 the paired headed home with R Carr, Newcastle Upon Tyne.
Also at 6,000gns was Tweeddale Hooch and her Hebony sired bull calf Tweeddale Kestral. This Gitan Du Pti’t Mayeur daughter, out of Harestone Barbara, sold with a calving ease of -1.7 and 200-day weight of +12 to KW Gamble, Yorkshire.
Averages: 27 cows served/suckling, £4,911.67; eight heifers in calf, £5,079.38; 12 maiden heifers, £4,488.75; two recipient with calves, £3,202.50; four recipients carrying embryos, £2992.50; one stock bull, £4,200; 11 young bulls, £3,951.82 (Harrison and Hetherington)