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Friday 12 March 2010
Supermarket chain Asda is set to become the first major retailer to offer new season lamb this spring, stocking product on its butcher’s counters in stores across the UK from March 13, this year.
Continued demand for pedigree British Blue cattle, ensured a good, level trade for the breed’s 51st national show and sale, at Chelford.
For the year to December 31, 2009, pre-tax profits were £72,318 – up from £71,683 the previous year.
This year’s winter has been one of the longest and most severe on record and as the snow flurries and bitter cold weather continues in many areas – preventing any thaw of deep lying snow – concerns are mounting relating to future fodder supplies and this year’s lamb crop.
Whitebred Shorthorns bulls ruled supreme at a joint sale of Shorthorn and Galloway cattle at Carlisle, securing three of the top four highest prices including the two best at 2600gns and 2500gns.
The top Holstein herd, ranked on fat and protein production, according to NMR’s annual production report, is the Higgins family’s herd from Wilderley Hall, near Shrewsbury, Shropshire.
STIRLING-BASED Charolais breeder, Andrew Hornall has been recognised for his 20-cow Falleninch pedigree herd making the greatest genetic progress in Scotland during the last 12 months, with the Harman Charolais Genetic Improvement Award 2010.
AT THEIR rare and minority breeds sale on March 6, Dingwall and Highland Marts are holding a special sale of Highland cattle, including bulls from Kentallan Farm, Savalbeg, Tordarroch Estate and Orbost, and females from Naviedale, Caberfeidh, Balnafettach, Savalbeg (Lagg fold, Corriebheinn Farms (Dunvegan fold), Colaboll, Orbost, Highfield and Mid Torrie Farm.
The Harrison and Hetherington Group, Carlisle, (H & H) has reported record profits for the first six months of the year to the end of December 2009.
The best of the bulls met a huge demand at Harrison and Hertherington’s Limousin sale at Carlisle at the weekend, where 18 lots broke the five-figure barrier, selling to a top of 72,000gns – the second highest bull price ever achieved at a UK auction.
After years importing Belgium Blue semen and cattle from their Belgian homeland, one of the UK’s leading Blue genetics companies has reversed the trend.
British Blue semen can now be bought through the on-line company, Semenstore Ltd, available through its website, semenstore.co.uk
THE MAN who established the North Country Cheviot breed in Wales has been elected president of the breed society.
AN ORDER for 100 straws of Aberdeen-Angus semen for export to Estonia from a bull from the Rosemount herd has been confirmed at this week’s bull sales at Stirling.
TODAY’S FARMERS will have to become more business-like if they are to take advantage of long-term financial assistance.
BLACK COATED Limousins set the trend over their red cousins, with two sharing the day’s top price of 12,000gns at the Perth Bull Sales at Stirling this week.
The Beef Shorthorn breed proved popular at the bull sales at Stirling this week, collecting a record average of £4560 for 39 sold.
THE ANGUS breed has enjoyed a record-breaking sale at Stirling this week, with 146 bulls selling for a best ever average of £5047 – for 17 more sold on the year.
Winning the Beef Shorthorn championship at Stirling was Donald Biggar’s senior champion Chapelton Braveheart, a Chapelton Typhoon son out of the Winalot Big Mac daughter, Chapelton Duchess.
The intermediate champion, Blelack Lord Hildalgo H972, from Neil Massie, Blelack, Dinnet, went on to win the overall title at the pre-sale show of Aberdeen-Angus cattle at Stirling, today, judged by Albert De Cogan.
RED MEAT production during 2009 in the UK was relatively unchanged on the year at 1.9m tonnes, according to the latest Defra figures.
A NEW record price has been paid for a two-year-old Scottish-bred Aberdeen-Angus bull, which has raised hopes that the once lucrative export trade with the United States could open up again.
The Luing breed will again be at the forefront of positive moves on cattle health for their annual sale at Wallets Mart, Castle Douglas on Friday, February 5, with all 199-head of pedigree cattle entered from 22 herds consigned by members of CHeCS accredited health schemes.
A large consignment of semen – predominantly from pedigree Limousin bulls but also including a batch of British Blue and Charolais semen – has been successfully exported to Texas, USA, for two separate customers, following orders made through the e-commerce site Semenstore.co.uk
DAIRY FARMERS should be wary of taking the facts and figures in new bull catalogues as gospel this month, as figures will be expressed on a completely different scale from those of the past five years.
This week’s Holstein bull proof run from DairyCo breeding+ may look like more of the same with a continued dominance by Oman and his sons.
Due to the adverse weather conditions, the sale of British Blue cattle, due to take place at Borderway Mart, Carlisle, this Friday (January 15th), has been postponed until February 19.
LIMOUSIN SEMEN from three of the UK’s leading bulls owned by Matt and Craig Ridley, Haltcliffe, Hesket-new-Market, Wigton, have been exported to Germany and Denmark.
Due to the extreme weather conditions across the UK, Wright Manley and Norton and Brooksbank have announced that the young stock dispersal sale from the Deehaven herd, due to take place today at Whitehouse Farm, Puddington, Cheshire, has been postponed.
THE ANNANDALE Holstein herd from Milton, at Beattock, run by Matthew and William Armour, has topped the Scottish league table for production for the fifth year in succession.
THE OVERALL show champion from the Limousin Red Ladies show and sale today at Carlisle, has sold for 38,000gns.
A MART record of £300 for a pen of hens was recorded at the annual Craven ‘Feather Auctions’ Christmas show and sale of poultry and waterfowl at Skipton Auction Mart, last weekend.
An Irish record price of €24,000 was paid for the Charolais bull, Cottage Devon, at the Irish Charolais Society Christmas Cracker show and sale in Carrick-on-Shannon, Co Leitrim.
A BATCH of black Highland cattle from three Scottish folds have been sold to new French breeder Francoise Jean-Luc Le Gac, from Normande.
Should farm livestock have access to water during transit?