A SHORTAGE of European buyers at Monday’s spring sale of Highland cattle at Oban and a far from vintage show, saw averages plummet on last year’s bumper sale, when trade peaked at 14,000gns and almost a third of the animals were exported.

This year’s event attracted a top price of 5800gns for the champion bull, Callum 2 of Goldenberry from West Kilbride-based retired engineer Alan Kennedy, while females sold to 2100gns on two occasions for heifers from Glasgow City Council’s Pollok fold and first time consignors, John and Dawn Mackie, West Merkland, Strathaven.

European breeders were nevertheless in attendance, with 13 lots heading to Denmark, and two selling to Germany. “There is a really good market for Highland cattle in Denmark,” Jorn Uhre, from Naesbjerg, Denmark, told The Scottish Farmer.

“Highland cattle look after the landscape and as a result there are government subsidies available for keeping them. There is also a growing demand for the Highland beef brand, because of the great flavour and tenderness of the beef,” added Mr Uhre who bought 20 Highland cattle at the two Oban sales last year, but only purchased two on Monday.

New breed president, Ian Bowie, remained upbeat, stating that a larger number of foreign breeders are expected to attend the October sale that follows just after the World Highland Gathering which runs from September 29 to October 2.

Leading the sale at 5800gns was the male champion, from Mr Kennedy, who bought his first female five years ago and now runs just eight cows in his Goldenberry fold as a hobby, at Thirdpart Holdings, West Kilbride, Ayrshire.

His two-year-old red bull is by by Calum of Cir Mhor, a bull bought at Oban, out of Cannach 2 of West Merkland, which acquired as a calf from Alan Crawford, at a breed sale at Perth. Callum 2 sold to Sir William Lithgow’s Ormsary fold managed by Archie McArthur.

On 5600gns, retired furniture maker/builder Roy Tylden-Wright, Uvie, Lagganbridge, Inverness-shire, sold his second prize winner, Torquil Dealbach of Ubhaidh, to Anna Taylor, Argyll Terrace, Rothesay, Bute. This five-year-old has been used as a stock bull for Mr Tylden-Wright’s 36-cow fold. The sire was bought as a calf at foot with its mother Mairead of Avondale, one of six foundation females bought privately in 2002 from Alan Crawford. Torquil Dealbach is by Torquil 1 of West Merkland.

Angus Mackay, Mains of Kilgraston, Bridge of Earn, went out in style for his final year selling at Oban too, producing the reserve champion senior which went on to sell for 5500gns. Mr Mackay, who is handing the reins of his well-known Coirefuar fold over to his son Ewan, received this money for Am Drobhair of Coirefuar, a three-year-old yellow by Domhnull of Gartchonzie. New breeder, Sir Michael Nairn, Balnabroich Farms, Bridge of Cally, Blairgowrie, bought the bull to work alongside several top priced females also acquired at the sale.

A black heifer secured the equal top female price at 2100gns, when Glasgow-based engineer John Mackie and his wife Dawn, Merkland House, Strathaven, sold their first heifer, a rising two-year-old to Roy Tylden-Wright, Uvie. This was a fourth prize winner by Gille Dubh of Craigowmill, out of Lynsey 8 of Ormsary, brought out by Andrew Gilchrist.

Matching the 2100gns call was Glasgow City Council’s reserve female, Una Ruadh 39 of Pollock, brought out by Matt Auld. A member of the 2009 show team of the year, this three-year-old red heifer is a daughter of Seamus 5 of Wellburn out of the former show cow Una Ruadh 28 of Pollok.

AVERAGES: Eight senior bulls, £2500 (-£697.25 for the same number); 19 two-year-old bulls, £1965 (-£789.15 for three more); seven yearling bulls, £595 (-£287 for the same number); six aged bulls, £1814, nine senior heifers, £1617 (+£294 for the same number; 11 three-year-old heifers, £1100 (-£39.25 for one less; 14 two-year-old heifers, £729 (-£300.81 for one more); 21 yearling heifers, £484 (-£149 for 21 fewer).