Farming Eye

Judging is continuing at the Thainstone Spectacular, with the red ticket in the intermediate bullock class going to Balfour Baillie with a Limousin cross steer by Middledale Toronto (lot 42). This one tipped the scales at 494kg. Second in this class was Gavin Petrie with a Blonde cross weighing in at 478kg (lot 46) and third was a Charolais cross from Smallburn Farms (lot 41).

In the haltered junior bullocks born before 31 December the winner was Monzie Farms with a Limousin cross by Normande Adventurer (lot 53) weighing 458kg. In second place was Smallburn Farms with a Limousin cross by Brian (lot 57) and third was another from the same home by Bailea Tyson (lot 55)

Then in the haltered bullock calf class the winner was Monzie Farms’ steer by Windsole Chancer and out of a Blue cross dam (lot 63). This was reserve champion at Alyth. Second to him was a Limousin cross by Cawfields Dylan from Fodderletter Farms (lot 67) and third was A Middledale Toronto son from J and J Wilson (lot 65).

Taking the title in the haltered junior bullocks born on or after 1 January was Barry Paterson with his Limousin cross by Shatton Pedro (lot 70), then in second was a Bonerbo Escort sired Charolais cross from Smallburn Farms (lot 73) and third was a Blue cross by Harestone Drambuie from W Paterson and Son (lot 72).

And in the younger of the two classes for junior bullocks the winner was a Bailea Cavalier son from J Munro and Son. This one is April born and weighed in at 276kg. Taking second spot in this class was a Blue cross from J K Manson (lot 84) and third was  a Limousin cross from Messrs MacArthur Bros (lot 82).

by Jonathan Long

Taking the commercial cattle championship here at the Royal Highland this afternoon were Mike and Melanie Alford with their Limousin cross heifer Smarty Pants. This one which has been winning in the south already this year has been champion at Devon, the Bath and West and Royal Cornwall already and now heads to the Royal Welsh. She was bred by Gordon Hendry and cost £3000 from Thainstone in September last year.

Reserve champion here went to Andrew Richardson and Jennifer Hyslop with their purebred Limousin heifer Hightown Fantasy. This Brontemoor Andover daughter is out of Newsham Nina and was bred by John Smith-Jackson. She was bought for £2000 at Hexham last March.

by Jonathan Long

Yesterday’s rearing calf sale at Skipton saw a new centre record set at £550, with this price bid for the day’s champion, a British Blue corss bull calf from Shaun and Peter Sowray, Bishop Thornton.

Sired by the Genus bull Guido, out of a home-bred British Friesian cow, the title winner joined Calderdale’s Martin Hutchinson, Mixenden.

Robert Crisp, Nelson Farm, Calton, Craven Cattle Marts’ reigning Stock Person of the Year, sold his class-winning Hereford-cross bull calf for £420 to A G Thomson, Driffield, while three other youngsters achieved £400.

They were the first prize Limousin-cross heifer calf from Andrew Ogden, Cowling, a British Blue-cross heifer calf from Robert Metcalfe, Brearton, and a Charolais-cross bull calf from Vickers & Richardson, Scarborough.

The last-named vendors made a clean sweep of the prizes in both the Continental heifer stirk and black and white stirk classes, including heading the Charolais heifer and MRI calf prices at £330 and £305 respectively.

Mr Ogden also presented the second prize Limousin heifer calf, along with the first prize Blonde-cross bull and heifer calves, which headed their section prices at £320 and £300 respectively.

Stephen Hitchen, Ludendenfoot, was again to the fore with the first and second prize Limousin-cross bull calves, one of which topped the prices at £365, supplemented by the first prize British Blue heifer calf and the third prize British Blue bull calf.

British Blue averages were notably strong at £365 for heifer calves and £359 for bull calves, with an overall selling average of the 85 rearing calves forward of £242.

by Jonathan Long

Trade for store cattle continues at a pace throughout the UK.

At Stirling on Wednesday the sale of 1115 store cattle saw bullocks up slightly on last week’s trade to 217.18p/kg and top at £1610 for a 719kg Limousin from Ardmanock, while heifers were back at touch across the average, but sold to a top of £1300 for a 578kg Charolais cross from West Quarter, Alyth.

Just south at Carlisle this week demand was strong with Limousin sired cattle dominating proceedings. Sale leader at £1440 was a Limousin heifer from Messrs C E and A Lawson and Son, Sowerby Row, while another of the same breed went at £1420 from Messrs T Harrington and Son, Kirkbride.  Bullocks sold to a top of £1360 again for a Limousin, this time from A R Fawcett, Gosforth, while Limousin-sired bulls topped at £1110, this time from T P Wigham, Haltwhistle.

Further south in Kent, Hobbs Parker auctioneers reported a good day’s trade with more cattle forward this week and a top price of £1080 for a 14 month old Charolais cross from the Georgetti family, as well as £1015 for similar aged Limousin steers from Messrs Windibank. Strong Friesian steers were also in steady demand and peaked at £805 for a batch from Messrs West.

by Chrissie Long