Buyers prove hard to impress at bull sales
Buyers prove hard to impress at bull sales
By Jeremy Hunt
ABERDEEN-Angus bull buyers were in a tough mood on the opening day of the Perth Bull Sales where half the entries left the ring without a new home.
Inspection brought 20 rejections and with an equal number not forward, the catalogued entry was reduced to 108 head. The ringside almost halved that figure with the hammer falling on just 50 bulls to level at £2829.
While it was only marginally down on last Februarys average of £2980, on that occasion almost twice as many bulls were sold.
There was a steady trade for bulls with the best conformation. Shortly after bidders had reached their seats and shaken snow off their boots, the days highest was reached with a 15,000gns call for one of Perth stalwarts Neil Massie and Sons.
This Aberdeenshire-based stockbreeding family had collected a first prize ticket with Blelack Blackstaff, an ET-bred son of the imported sire Young Dale Monarch. While he didnt feature in the final shake-up for the championship, this 23-month-old all-Canadian bred bull had enough ringside support to generate the liveliest bidding, which settled at the weeks first five-figure call from M Bruce and Partners, Ellon, Aberdeenshire.
Blackstaff has a beef value of 32 and is out of Knights Blackbird, one of Canadas top cows.
While more buyers were accounting for estimated breeding values (EBVs) the lack of performance data accompanying Nairn breeder David Walkers bull Galcantray Pro Nitro was no handicap. This impressive son of Mountain Side Nitro Extra is out of a Sunset Acres Bang cow and goes to Orkney with Mr Foubister at 9000gns.
One of the leading lights in the early uptake of performance figures from top Canadian sires was John Moores, who runs the Moss herd at Formby, Merseyside.
He was pleased to see the result of a double-dose of Moss breeding – Fordel Eisenhower – realise 6500gns for Perthshire-based vendor David Ismail.
This high EBV bull is by Bronco of the Moss and out of a cow by Moss import Perryville Roscoe. Eisenhower has a beef value of 40 and was bought by AI Services, Northern Ireland.
David Murray from Forfar judged the Angus classes and awarded the top ticket to the Massies with Blelack Rooster. This Royal Added Value son has a beef value of 28 and sold to * * Robson and Co, Kelso, for 6000gns. His dam, having already bred a 4000gns son, has since been sold privately to the expanding herd at Shadwell Estate in Norfolk.
Champion junior bull was W and D McLarens Netherton Edwin from their herd at Auchterarder, Perthshire. He combined two of the breeds most prolific sires of recent times – TLA Northern Samurai and Windover Justifer. Edwin has a beef value of 30 and made 5800gns to M Bruce and Partners.
From the senior line-up came the reserve overall champion Eastfield Justis Eric – beef value 29 – paraded by Messrs T * Brewis, Kelso. He is by Golatio of Haymount and made 5500gns to Sandy Lee, who is much better known for his Fordafourie line of Suffolk sheep.
There were other deals at 5000gns, the first following a successful bid from Scot Beef boss Ian Galloway for Idvies Euro from F J Fraser and Sons herd at Forfar, Angus.
Another bull looking forward to a boat ride home to Orkney was one of the McLarens entries. Their Netherton Evening Cruz – beef value 36 – also made 5000gns. He is by Dalrene Cruz and was bought by F R Harcus. (United Auctions) *
Despite some resistance from buyers, Angus trade reached a top of 15,000gns for this bull – Blelack Blackstaff – from Neil Massie and Sons.