Enthusiastic demand for Charollais rams at show
Enthusiastic demand for Charollais rams at show
By Jeremy Hunt
CHAROLLAIS breeders were "absolutely thrilled" by the upbeat demand for sires at the breed societys national show and sale at Lichfield last weekend where the ram lamb average of £770 was £220 up on the year.
British Charollais Sheep Society secretary Carroll Barber said a strong commercial demand for rams had been the keynote of the trade.
"Everyone was absolutely thrilled by the positive atmosphere and good prices. More large-scale prime lamb buyers are definitely looking for continental-sired lambs and mid-season market prices had just lifted slightly, so it all helped.
"Commercial shearling buyers were also studying ram performance figures very closely," said Mrs Barber.
Somerset breeder Viv Crocker collected the biggest cheque with a 4100gns call for his ram lamb Westonvale Apostle, full brother to the sale topper at this fixture last year. The lamb, by successful sire Castellau Campaigner, was bought by Erica Summerfield for her Pen-y-Fan flock at Abergavenny.
Three other Campaigner lambs from the Westonvale pen sold at 2400gns to Gordon Foster, Barnard Castle; 1600gns to Blair Duffton, Aberdeenshire; and 1100gns EH Pennie and Son, Powys.
The judge, Scottish breeder James Kinnaird of the Findatle prefix, selected a ram lamb from Tim Pritchards Castellau flock in Glamorgan to take the championship. Sired by Scratchmere Solomon, it went to Mr Duffton at 2500gns.
A top show ewe from the Leics-based Dalby flock of Charles Sercombe produced a 2300gns lamb from an ET-programme. It was sired by Arjane Master Mac and bought by Robert Gregory, Shropshire.
A good pen of lambs by Crogham Sultan sold well for Aberdeenshire breeder William Ingram. They reached 2000gns for one bought jointly by Bangor breeders EG Oliver and RA Morris.
Also at 2000gns was a ram lamb from the father and daughter team of Derek Daffurn and Jennifer Curtis of Evesham. Their best was by the 1999 Royal Show champion Highway Mr Softie and now heads for Filey, North Yorks with S and J Hunter.
Hyde Sirocco, the high ranking performance recorded shearling ram with a scheme index of 339, created strong interest for breeder Stuart Dunkley from Northampton. He made 2000gns to Phillip Ashford, East Dereham, Norfolk.
The judge gave 1500gns for a shearling from Cornish breeders Messrs Sleeps Trevadlock flock while the Foulrice consignment from the Yorks-based Marwood family peaked at 1100gns given by Herefordshire flock owner Ian Turner for the sales shearling champion.
Averages: 34 rams £540; 55 ram lambs £770 and six females £357 (William McCulloch, Lawrie and Symington). *