The Scottish Farmer

Glenside leads at Welshpool

Scots perform at Chelford

Scottish Beltex sheep breeders dominated the proceedings at a breed show and sale at Chelford, both as consignors and buyers, with a trio of John Barclay, Maybole; Jock McMillan, Newton Stewart; and Stuart Wood, Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, buying the top priced ram at 1500gns and later they were behind many of the highest priced lots.

8800gns Texel gimmer at Worcester

Top price at the English National show and sale of Texels at Worcester was 8800gns for a gimmer from D and J Chambers’ D and J Chambers’ Twelve Oaks flock from Newton Bromswold.

Texel sale hits 65,000gns

Despite the fact nothing came close to breaking last year’s record breaking price of 220,000gns for a Texel ram lamb, a much improved trade throughout saw overall averages improve by £176 per head to level at £2445 at this year’s Scottish National Show and Sale at Lanark, where a top price of 65,000gns was achieved.

NI Texel sale peaks at 17,000gns

NI Simmental record

Prices reached a ceiling of 12,000gns, and 20 lots sold to average £3654 per head, at the 40th Anniversary Elite Female Show and Sale, held at Omagh, last week.

Greenwell Limmys in the money

Just short of £420,000 changed hands at the dispersal of JT and J Nattress and Son’s dispersal of their noted Greenwell pedigree Limousin sale from Lanchester, Durham, last week, where trade peaked at 23,000gns.

Fodder prices soar to record levels

Fodder prices have soared to new heights for this time of year with hay and straw prices up by as much as £25 and £20 per tonne, respectively, ex-farm.

Sheep farmers in the money

The future is bright for sheep farmers going by the first of the store lamb sales which are witnessing an increased demand and not surprisingly improved averages for all breeds and crosses at all centres.

Grouse shooting remains buoyant

Despite the on-going recession, the demand for grouse shooting is generally buoyant, according to CKD Galbraith’s sporting lets department.

Disappointing Charollais trade

Charollais sheep breeders suffered a disappointing sale at Lanark, when less than half of the catalogued entry of ram lambs were able to find new homes.

New rules for Limousin breeds

Limousin cattle breeders selling at nominated premier collective sales will have to be members of and adhere to terms of a CHeCS licenced Herd Health Scheme, from May 1, 2011, in a bid to provide the pedigree and commercial sector with cattle that combine an assured and known health status.

Pyebrook Limousins to 29,000gns

IN EXCESS of £500,000 was brought in for 147 head at last week’s dispersal of Nigel and Jane Matthews’ Pyebrook Limousin herd, held on farm at Stanton Lacy, Ludlow, Shropshire.

Reserve champion leads at 20,000gns

Despite four five-figure prices and a further eight selling between 5000gns and 10,000gns, at last week’s Northern Area Suffolk sale at Ingliston, averages fell by more than £200 per head for the third year in succession, and for fewer sold.

Scots triumph at Suffolk sale

Scottish breeders made their presence felt at the first main Suffolk ram sale of the year at Shrewsbury, last weekend, producing several of the top priced lots including the sale leader at 26,000gns, while others bought stockrams to take back home across the Border.

Boclair tops Carlisle sale

A good consignment of freshly calved cows and heifers forward for the Border and Lakeland Holstein Club show and sale at Carlisle, saw trade peak at 3000gns for the champion, Boclair Lou Elegance, a potential eighth generation Ex classified cow from Jack and David Brewster, Boclair, Glasgow.

Record priced sheep dogs

Smashing the previous best of 4100gns, achieved at Skipton in 2004, were dogs from well-known triallists Welshman Aled Owen, and Yorkshireman John Bell.

Gavin shears to success in record time

ONCE AGAIN, the wet weather and consistent rain didn’t manage to dampen the spirits of the shearers at Lochearnhead Shears, where an international line up of competitors congregated to fight for the Scottish Blackface shearing champion title.

Record price for Beef Shorthorn

A NEW Beef Shorthorn breed record price was set in a private deal at the Royal Highland Show, last week.

QMS drives efficiency

The Scottish red meat industry is set to benefit from £150,000 worth of new opportunities to improve efficiency and sustainability as part of a tranche of new projects led by Quality Meat Scotland.

Need to support livestock

More meat factories in Northern Ireland may be forced to shut down if the government doesn’t step in to maintain the level of production of livestock, especially in the hills.

Lamb trade on a par with 2009

New season lambs are now coming onto the market in big numbers and as always, prices are easing back fairly dramatically on a weekly basis.

25 years building success

The 2010 Royal Highland Show will see Algo – one of Scotland’s most respected design and construction companies – celebrate 25 years in business.

Project to add £5m/yr to red meat industry

Scotch Beef has always been regarded as some of the best red meat in the world, but an exciting new three-year project, based at Scotbeef, Bridge of Allan, looks set to determine the actual eating quality of Scotch Beef, how to further improve it, and, more importantly, the consistency of eating quality.

Luings in demand at Castle Douglas

A strong trade prevailed throughout at the reduction sale of 243 Luing cows and calves, 11 yearling heifers and six stock bulls, staged on behalf of Cadzow Bros, Ardlarach, Luing, at Castle Douglas auction market last week.

Genomics in beef industry

UK farmers can now breed healthier and more productive animals with the use of advanced genetic fingerprinting tests for cattle and sheep.

Spring lambs in the money

Sheep farmers are in the money, with new season lambs commanding some of the highest prices ever seen at some centres due to the shortage of numbers coming forward following the late spring and lack of grass.

BF records smashed

Breed records were smashed at United Auctions special sale of breeding sheep at Stirling, last week, when a pen of 20 Blackface ewe hoggs from Ian Hunter, Dalchirla, Muthill, Crieff, sold for £470 per head to Northern Ireland breeder, Robert Loughrey, Limavady.

Sheepdogs to 1500gns at Lazonby

A large crowd gathered last week, for Harrison and Hetherington’s annual sale of working sheep dogs and pups.

Pig industry profitable

Notably the DAPP is now one of the highest in Europe, coming second only to Malta at 156.93p, while Bulgaria comes in third at 137.30p.

Record entry set for Skipton sheepdog sale

A record 127-strong entry is set for the spring sale of working sheep dogs at Skipton Auction Mart this Friday (May 21).

Blackie boys top Blues at 16,000gns

Blackface sheep breeders, Andrew Kay and son Andrew, from Gass, Straiton, went straight to the top at last weekend’s British Blue cattle sale at Carlisle, when their first Blue bull sold for the day’s lead price of 16,000gns.

H and H Group to invest £1.1m

The H and H Group is to invest £1.1m in improved facilities at its Borderway site at Carlisle.

Stores remain buoyant

Despite the unseasonal, severe shortage of grass and the continuing fall in prime cattle prices, demand for store cattle, especially younger cattle, remains as strong as ever with most centres noticing little if any change in values from this time last year.

Beef prices still slipping

The beef cattle trade has slipped significantly over the past three months with average prices for finished steers, heifers and young bulls in Scotland now a good 6p per kg liveweight less than they were this time last year and a whopping 12-20p per deadweight kg lower than in January.

Charolais bulls sell to 6400gns in Ballymena

A top price of 6400gns was achieved at the Northern Ireland club show and sale of Charolais cattle in Ballymena, for the overall champion, Fieldview Davinci, an Oldstone Egbert son from Harold Stubbs, Lisnaskea.

A-A registrations high record high

An unprecedented demand for quality Aberdeen-Angus sires displaying modern attributes has seen registrations in the Aberdeen-Angus Society’s herdbook soar to record levels.

Herefords aim to improve carcase quality

The Hereford Society has launched its Superior Carcase Sires programme, with the aim of improving the breed’s deadweight quality.

UA upgrades Islay auction mart

LAST WEEK’S clearance sale of 1426 store cattle at United Auctions’ Islay auction mart, was a fitting way to introduce a host of improvements to the Bridgend mart.

New bull sales set for May

Next month, Caledonian Marts will stage its first ever premier show and sale of breeding stock, within Stirling Livestock Centre, on Monday, May 24.

Big hopes for new generation wormer

THE GROWING national problem of anthelmintic resistance in sheep is costing the industry more than £18m a year, according to Moredun parasitologist, Dr Frank Jackson, speaking at the launch of a new generation wormer by animal health company, Novartis.

Make the most of grass

SPRING GRASS is often perceived as one of the cheapest and most nutritious feeds available, but its continual change in quality throughout the season can cause chaos in dairy cow performance – affecting milk yields and overall cow health.

ANM Group announces loss of £311,000

DESPITE AN increase in both throughput and turnover, the ANM Group has announced a loss of £311,000 – against an income of almost £1m last year – mainly as a result in the weakness of its red meat division, headed by Scotch Premier Meat.

Big demand for show calves

Prices rose to more than £4000 per head and on each day at a two-day spring suckled calf show and sale at Carlisle, where overall averages increased by £40 per head for heifers and £70 for steers.

10,000gns Lincoln Red record

A new breed record price of 10,000gns was set at the Lincoln Red Cattle Society’s spring show and sale at Newark when the overall champion, Walmer Legend, from HM and JM Needler, Ranby Grange, Lincoln, sold to Michael Read, from Hemingby, near Horncastle.

Ayrshire semen sales up

There’s some ‘record sales’ news for Ayrshire cattle breeders.

Ghyll House again tops Penrith

Beef calves from John and Ben Richardson, Ghyll House, Appleby, again led the way a special show and sale of haltered cattle at Penrith, securing both the champion and reserve honours, as well as the majority of lead prices.

First new season lamb

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.

Chelford Blues sell to 7500gns

Continued demand for pedigree British Blue cattle, ensured a good, level trade for the breed’s 51st national show and sale, at Chelford.

Business

Services

ED's question