Simmentals back in favour
Simmentals back in favour
THE Perth crowd has not been over-generous to Simmental bulls in recent years but last weeks trade saw the breed back in favour with a healthy average of £2764.
An increasing desire among suckler herd owners to breed their own heifer replacements and breeders reporting a rise in the pre-Perth enquiries for bulls, materialised into a strong trade that did not rely on one or two bumper bids to lift the average. And it was two of the breeds best known names that came together to produce the top price of 7500gns when Bob Lunness (Goole, Humberside) bought Strathisla Farms (Meigle, Perthshire) Strathisla Julius.
This son of Kair Windsor has a lot going for him. He was reserve overall champion at this years Royal Highland Show at 15-months-old and has a Beef Value of 35 (hes in the breeds top 1%).
Mr Lunness Brinkton breeding came to the fore in the second highest price of the day when Leics herd owners Linda and Haddon Burditt sold their senior champion Brooklyn Jonti (Beef Value 35) at 6500gns. Hes by Overhall Laurel and out of the famous show cow Brinkton Bluebell. He was sold in a 50:50 split to G and J Bell, West Sussex, and A and A Jukes, Kent.
Arkmill John, a high-muscle scoring bull by Blackford Explosion consigned by north-east Scotland breeder Eddie Kublin made 5200gns to A and D Clark, Orkney. And at the same price Robin Boyd asserted the breeds strength in Northern Ireland when he sold Slievenagh Justthejob, a son of the Royal Show winning 9000gns Slievenagh Fantastic. Buyers were J Logan and Co, Girvan, Ayrshire. *