The Scottish Farmer

Bernard Simpson, Heathfield, Pateley Bridge, collected the cattle championship at Skipton’s opening New Year show and sale, with a 490kg home-bred British Blue heifer.

UK inflation 2% higher than EU

Harmonised Indicies of Consumer Prices (HICPs) established to provide international comparisons of inflation between European member states, printed by Eurostat, reveal that meat inflation figures in the UK for the year to October 2011, was well above the EU average of 3.7%, and a good 2% higher, at 5.8%.

Manage fixed costs for better returns

Effective management of fixed costs could be key to beef suckler herd producers achieving better returns.

Scotch Beef – the popular alternative

QMS which contacted butchers in the select Scotch Butchers Club, in Inverurie, Aberdeen, Auchterarder, Forfar, Alyth, Monifieth and Carnoustie, found that first indicators pointed to a Scotch beef rib roast being one of the top choices outwith turkey followed by Scotch beef sirloin, Scotch leg of lamb and specially selected ham.

Grahams heifer heads Red Ladies

Grahams Ethel, an in-calf heifer from Robert and Jean Graham, Airthrey Kerse, Bridge of Allan, took the top price of 10,000gns at the British Limousin Cattle Society’s Red Ladies Derby show and sale at Carlisle last week.

Traditional Herefords in export deal

BREEDERS OF traditional Hereford cattle in the UK have won an export order for embryos from a ranching company in Argentina which runs 20,000 Hereford cattle – the first export of Hereford genetics to South America for 40 years.

British Texels in demand

British Texels have been in demand, with sales to Switzerland and Brazil in recent weeks, confirming the growing trend towards superior quality British genetics.

British Limousin semen heads to USA

Semen from five British Limousin bulls have been exported to the USA, through the e-commerce Semenstore.co.uk.

£50,000 Swale at Hawes

A top price of £50,000 complete with a further 37 five-figure prices ensured a cracking trade and an overall average in excess of £2100 at the two-day show and sale of Swaledale shearling rams at Hawes last week.

Kirkby Swales sell to £45,000

A string of high prices, complete with a cracking average, failed to paper over the cracks at last week’s annual two-day show and sale of Swaledale shearling rams at Kirkby Stephen, where many shearlings left the ring unsold – the result of fewer sheep in the hills and an increased number of tups on offer.

Charolais record smashed at Stirling

THE CHAROLAIS breed record was smashed at the bull sales at Stirling today (Wednesday) when husband and wife SSPCA inspectors, Tom and Sheena Gatherer from Inchinan in Renfrewshire sold Barnsford Ferny for 70,000gns.

Kingledores’ 8000gns record

Richard Wood and his father John, Kingledores, Broughton, Biggar, had a field day amongst the Beltex tup lambs, selling the two top priced lambs at 8000gns and 7000gns whilst also setting a new breed record for a lamb.

Bumper Beltex sale

Beltex sheep breeders enjoyed a bumper trade at Carlisle last week, where overall averages improved in every section and in the majority of cases for more sold.

Prices peak at 30,000gns for Sarkley Limmy heifer heifers

Demand for pedigree Limousin females soared to new levels at the Sarkley sale at Carlisle, last week, when a production sale from EH Pennie and Sons’ noted Sarkley herd from Gwern-Yr-Ychain, Powys, grossed more than £340,000 for 104 heifers.

90,000gns Suffolk record breaker

THE BREED record was smashed at the Northern Area sale of Suffolks at Stirling last week, when a ram lamb from first time consignor Dan Tynan, Co Laois, sold for a 90,000gns.

Mossrigg sale attracts huge ringside

More than £585,000 changed hands at Jonathan and Joanne Fisher’s two-day on-farm dispersal sale of the Mossrigg herd from Dolphenby, Edenhall, Penrith, last week, where no fewer than 11 lots sold for 3000gns or more.

Carr’s £19m fertiliser sale

Carr’s Milling Industries, the agriculture, food and engineering group, has agreed to sell its Carrs Fertilisers division for £19m to the agricultural services firm, Origin Enterprises.

Extreme 7200gns sale for Limousin bull

Prices peaked at 7200gns at the summer sale of pedigree Limousin bulls and females at Carlisle, last week, where the top priced lot, Norman Extreme, from local breeders, Eric and Elaine Norman, who run the 120-cow pedigree herd at Little Orton, sold down to Wales, purchased by MJ Gray and Son, Fleethill, Great Cellws, Llandrindod Wells.

Top Charollais heads to Millhouse

Scottish pedigree livestock farmers, Angus and Sue Howie, Millhouse, Dunning, came home in style from the Charles Sercombe’s silver anniversary sale of the Dalby Charollais flock from Leicestershire, having purchased many of the top priced lots including the lead female at 7000gns.

Holstein Genetic Elite sale reaches 23,000gns

A top price of 23,000gns and an outstanding average of £4076 was achieved at the Holstein UK Genetic Elite Sale held at Carlisle on Monday.

Maiden heifer tops Ironstone sale

A 14-month-old maiden heifer, headed the Ironstone Limousin sale at Carlisle, when Messrs Smiths of Bloxham, sold Ironstone Fleur for 6100gns, at the second reduction sale from their herd based at Newlands Farm, Bloxham, outside Banbury.

Three Charolais bulls sell for 12,000gns each

First at 12,000gns was the reserve senior, Wesley Equinox from Wesley Estates, Markfield, Leicester, purchased by join Alasdair Houston, Gretna Green.

Lhanbryde Holstein sale hits 3100gns

Three Hundred miles may seem a long way to haul a dairy herd but it makes sense to sell them where the demand is.

Blondes sell to 7000gns and 6500gns at Carlisle

Pedigree bulls from James Weightman’s Hallfield herd from Co Durham, led the way at the Blonde spring show and sale at Carlisle, securing two of the top three highest prices including the day’s best at 7000gns.

Sheepdog record at Lazonby

Centre records were smashed at a dog sale at Lazonby, when a 15-month-old black, white and tan Border Collie bitch from K Thompson, Woodmans Cottage, sold for 3800gns.

Thainstone sale topped at 5400gns twice

A strong demand for pedigree bulls was witnessed at Aberdeen and Northern Marts’ multi-breed show and sale at Thainstone, where two bulls shared the top price of 5400gns.

Clury bulls top Dingwall

Limousin bulls met a buoyant demand at Dingwall and Highland Marts multi-breed show and sale of 74 pedigree bulls and females at Dingwall, where top prices of 5800gns and 4800gns were achieved for bulls from WF Cruikshank’s Clury herd from Dulnain Bridge.

Herefords to £5800

Many of the top priced lots were based on American genetics from Jack Holden’s herd in Montana, including the sale leader at £5800.

Limousin bulls peak at 38,000gns

Top prices of 38,000gns, 32,000gns and 24,000gns along with another 10 bulls which sold at or above 10,000gns bracket, set the scene at the Limousin society’s bull show and sale at Carlisle, where the intermediate champion and supreme male, went on to secure the day’s lead bid.

Highoaks Holsteins average £2500

Holsteins sold to 4800gns at Carlisle when the Wilson family held the second sale to dispersal their award-winning Highoaks herd.

Third prize bull tops Simmental sale

A third prize winner at the national spring show and sale of Simmental cattle at Carlisle, came out tops after the show to secure the day’s lead price of 4200gns.

Charolais tops Stirling multi-breed sale

Despite an increased entry, pedigree bulls of all breeds met a flying trade at a multi-breed sale at Stirling, where a top price of 10,000gns was achieved for the champion Charolais, from breed president, Jimmy Wilson’s Ugie herd from Barnyards, Mintlaw, Peterhead.

Craiglands Limmys in demand

The dispersal of Ken and Colin Gill’s prize-winning Craiglands Limousin herd from Mid Craiglands, Fortrose, met a buoyant demand at Dingwall, where many of the older cows sold at or above the 4000gns mark.

Charolais records at Welshpool

Charolais cattle established two centre records at the breed society’s official spring sale at Welshpool, last week, when the bull trade hit a new top of 9000gns and record average of £3706 was achieved, up £346 on the year, for 50 lots sold.

Scottish Hereford breeders dominate

Star of the show amongst the bulls was the firm of JM Cant and Partners’ Panmure 1 Goliath, an 18-month-old scaling in at 792kg, from Arbroath, Angus, which not only picked up the championship honours but also the day’s lead price of 8300gns when selling to pre-sale judge, Ian Shaw and his father, breed president Robert Shaw of Hallwood Herefords, South Wirral, Cheshire.

Reserve tops dairy sale

Dairy cattle of all breeds, shapes and sizes were forward for Harrison and Hetherington’s monthly pedigree sale at Carlisle, where the reserve champion, a Holstein heifer in milk went on to top the sale selling for 2500gns to local producers, N and S Sanderson, Burtholm, Lanercost, Brampton.

First Scottish Salers exported

The first Scottish-bred Salers bull has been sold back to the breed’s homeland France...

Beef records

For the first time ever, beef prices have broken through the magical £3 per deadweight kg mark, with the GB average for R4L steers soaring by 9p per kg on the week to level at 302.5p for the week ending April 9, with the latest figures available – for the week ending April 16 – rising further to 304.6p.

Heifer tops Dungannon Simmental sale

A good show of stock, with an impressive line-up of heifers, saw Simmental females peak at 6000gns while bulls sold to 4000gns, at a breed show and sale at Dungannon.

Record priced Ayrshires

Breed records for a pedigree Ayrshire calf were smashed at the dispersal of Duncan and Sarah Hunter’s noted pedigree Haresfoot Ayrshire herd from Berkhamstead, when a four-month-old heifer sold for 9000gns, which combined with the growing UK demand for the breed, also ensured breed record averages in several sections.

Blondes peak at 6800gns at Carlisle

A mixed line-up of British Blondes attracted a top price of 6800gns at the society’s spring show and sale at Carlisle, where breed enthusiast Mike Harrison sold his two-year-old bull, Shapfell Esquire, to K and GJ Huck, Sowerthwaite, Austwick, Lancaster.

South Devon record

Irish Simmentals sell to mainland

Scottish and English Simmental breeders made their presence felt at the breed’s premier sale at Roscommon, last weekend, buying several of the top priced bulls and females.

Prime sheep prices hit record levels

Prime sheep prices have escalated to record levels at many centres, with the demand for finished old season lambs and ewes having soared to new heights.

Ghyll House does it again at Penrith

Once again, home-bred commercial calves from the Richardson family from Ghyll House, Appleby, dominated the proceedings at the spring show and sale of potential show calves at Penrith, securing all the top awards and the lead prices.

Hat-trick at Leyburn

Northumberland-based show calf producer, John Smith-Jackson, scored a hat-trick at the Leyburn Spring Spectacular calf show and sale, securing his third consecutive championship with a home-bred calf.

Dairy producers losing 3ppl

At last it has been confirmed – there is a 3.16ppl gap between what dairy farmers receive for their milk and the cost of production, going by the NFU’s recently released ‘Cost of milk production report’.

Solid trading for H and H

Cash earned by some of its peripheral businesses has boosted the fortunes of auctioneering-based business, H and H Group, which, for the final six months of 2010, saw its profit stand at £627,000 before tax – the second highest figure at this stage of the year in the group’s history.

Record 13,000gns for Charolais

CHAROLAIS BULLS dominated the proceedings at a multi-breed show and sale at Thainstone, staged in conjunction with the Royal Northern Spring Show, securing the majority of top prices and prizes but also the lead average.

New market for HF bulls

A new initiative to develop markets for black and white finished cattle has been introduced by David Marshall, operations Manager of Farm Stock Scotland.

Mulebook celebrations

The Bluefaced Leicester Sheep Breeders’ Association highly successfully interactive website, mulebook.co.uk will be one-year-old, next week.

Foot-and-mouth still rampant

IT'S ALMOST 10 years to the day that foot- and-mouth disease raised it’s decidedly ugly head in the UK with the result that after seven months of pure devastation, more than six million beef, sheep and dairy animals had been massacred, with dire consequences being felt by all country-based businesses.

Top-notch Harbro results

HIGHER SALES and lower borrowing costs saw Scotland’s leading animal feed manufacturer, the Aberdeenshire-based Harbro Group, boost turnover and profitability in the year to June 30, 2010.

New Hereford breed president

THE NEW president of the Hereford Cattle Society, is Cheshire-based breeder, Robert Shaw, who has been breeding Hereford cattle under the Hallwood prefix since the early 1980s.

New appointments at Mitchells

THERE’S LIFE in the auction system yet, as two significant appointments by Mitchells of Cockermouth shows.

Gary is top young butcher

A YOUNG butcher from Huntly, Gary Raeburn, has been named the UK’s Young Butcher of the Year for 2010.

Lleyn record at £16,000

A Lleyn ram named Lluest King from Dylan and Emrys Jones, Lluest Wen, Powys, has been sold privately for what is believed to be record-breaking £16,000 to Peter Sutton, farm manager of Trinidad Investments UK Ltd, Rout Farm, West Sussex.

H & H Group shows 40% profit increase

The Carlisle-based plc, the H and H Group has reported a record £1.37m trading profit for the year ending June 2010, a figure up 40% on the previous 12 months which it attributes to developing efficient systems, effective marketing and customer focus.

£90,000 BF record at Dalmally

A NEW breed record for Blackface rams was set at Dalmally on Saturday, when a shearling from Ian Hunter, Dalchirla, Muthill, Crieff, sold for £90,000.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Higgins family have top herd

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.

Scottish herd wins genetic award

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.

Dingwall to hold special sale of Highlanders

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.

Mart profits improve

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.

Haltcliffe’s DJ tops Limousin sale at 72,000gns

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.

British Blues go live

British Blue semen can now be bought through the on-line company, Semenstore Ltd, available through its website, semenstore.co.uk

New president for NCC Society

THE MAN who established the North Country Cheviot breed in Wales has been elected president of the breed society.

Aberdeen-Angus semen set for Estonia

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.

Record average for Beef Shorthorns

The Beef Shorthorn breed proved popular at the bull sales at Stirling this week, collecting a record average of £4560 for 39 sold.

A-A trade peaks at 28,000gns

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.

Braveheart is best Beef Shorthorn at ‘Perth’

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.

Blelack leads Angus section at ‘Perth’

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.

Worrying fall in sheep kill

RED MEAT production during 2009 in the UK was relatively unchanged on the year at 1.9m tonnes, according to the latest Defra figures.

Another first for Luing breed

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.

Beef semen for US

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

Be aware of bull proof changes

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.

Carlisle British Blue sale postponed

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.

UK Limousin semen in demand

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.

Deehaven sale cancelled

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.

Top cows and heifers in Scotland

Top herds in Scotland – to 30/09/2009

Five years in a row for Annandale herd

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.

Centre record for trio of White Wyandottes

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.

€24,000 record price Irish bull

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.

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