LIMOUSIN cattle from Robert Graham’s prized herd from Bridge of Allan, Stirling, proved the star attraction at the Red Ladies Derby and weaned calf show and sale at Carlisle, producing two of the top three highest priced lots.
Included in this line-up was the pre-sale champion, Grahams Lilly, a May, 2015-born ET show heifer brought out by stockman, Drew Hyslop. Backed by the best of genetics, this cracker is bred from the Millington Vascular daughter, Grahams Coffee, and by the AI sire Claragh Franco, making her a full sister to the 40,000gns Grahams Lorenzo and the 16,000gns Grahams Lizzie. Lilly carries two double muscle genes and sold to relatively new breeders, John and Ben Richardson, buying for their Mystyle herd based at Ghyll House, Appleby, Duffton.

Second top price was 12,000gns paid for Paul Dawes’ second prize heifer, Dinmore Lunar – the first calf sold by the Mas Du Clo son, Dinmore Immense, and is bred from Dinmore Caprice that has bred heifers to 22,000gns. From a 5000gns kick off bid, this red ticket holder from Dinmore Manor, Hereford, is a grand-daughter of Wilodge Cerbebus’ dam being bred from Dinmore Eclipse that is out of Wilodge Priceless, and was knocked down to Steven Wilson, Main Street, Egremont, Carlisle.

The bumper demand for Limousins continued right through to the sale of weaned calves, with the dearest at 10,500gns being the 11-month-old bull, Pabo Mrmuscle, from Peredur and Llyr Hughes, Llanbabo, Anglesey. Their bull which stood second in his class at the pre-sale show, is one of the first sons sold by the Genus bull, Lodge Hamlet, and out of the privately purchased Derosa Visa, by Jocky. Best bull calf in the local herds competition, Mrmuscle was bought by show calf producer, Gary Bell, Haas Side, Lockerbie.

Mr Graham was back in the money amongst the young bulls took, taking 9000gns for Grahams Murphy, a March 2016-born son of Claragh Franco, bred from the French cow, Cousine. First and reserve junior champion at the Stars of the Future show, this youngster headed east with DA Thompson, Trewhitt Steads, Thropton, Morpeth.

New breeder, Iain Graham, Rose Castle, also went to 9000gns for the 11-month-old weaned heifer calf, Burnbank Maggiemay from Dougie and Lynda Graham, Mains of Burnbank, Blairdrummond. This cracker is by the Wilodge Vantastic son, Elite Forever Brill which last year bred a 10,000gns heifer at this sale, out of Burnbank Crystal, by Grahams Tycoon.

See this week's issue of The Scottish Farmer, out December 17, for the full report, including averages and photos of the trade leaders.