AS always, Stirling Agricultural Centre was packed to the brim for the Aberdeen-Angus sale, which saw a good commercial show of bulls attract a bumper line-up of five-figure prices and with more sold.

However, with a lack of real breeders' bulls up for grabs, lead prices were kept at a reasonable level. From a lead bid of 18,000gns, a further seven bulls secured prices at or above the magical 10,000gns bracket, with 111 changing hands to average £5735. This was down £7 on the year, but for eight more sold, despite a disappointing sale of senior bulls, which saw several fail to find new homes. Clearance rates were also up on the year at 76%, compared to just 70% last year.

While there were fewer breeders' bulls forward, the sale leader at 18,000gns did indeed sell for breeding, with John Elliot, Roxburgh Mains, Kelso, forking out the cash for Balmachie Jack Eric, an April 2015-born bull, from Carnoustie breeder, John Lascelles, Balmachie. Producing a personal best at public auction for the 25-cow herd, Jack Eric is one of the first calves by the Canadian ET, Balmachie Ben Vorlich, a bull which was used for three seasons and has since been sold privately to George Kinaldy and George Hendry. The mother, Balmachie Juana Erica, by Rawburn Transformer, is also one of the best females in the herd, with three daughters retained and one destined for the Highland Show in June.

Father and son team, Neil and Graeme Massie, who although dispersed their Blelack herd from Dinnet, Aboyne, in October, were back for more with a cracking team of 10 bulls that averaged £7245. The duo also produced the second top priced bull at 16,000gns, when their third prize junior bull, Blelack Pontius, sold to John and Marion Tilson, and daughter Wanda Hobbs, who own the Wedderlie herd at Gordon, Berwickshire. Their bull, brought out by Gordon Fraser, is one of the first bulls sold by the Blelack Egotist son, Blelack Banjo, whose dam, Blelack Miss Bangle, sold for 15,000gns at the herd dispersal. Pontius is a heifer's calf, out of Blelack Pride, by the Australian sire, Carrington Park Time.

Bulls from Alasdair Houston's Gretna House herd from Gretna, always prove popular too and this year was no exception with the 25-cow herd, selling four to average in excess of £10,000. Dearest at 15,000gns was Gretnahouse Exocet, a similarly aged bull bred from the first home-bred Angus female, Gretnahouse Eliza, which is a daughter of the foundation cow, Blelack Eliza. Equally impressive is the sire, Gretnahouse Blacksmith, the bull part owned with Haymount, which has already bred three sons at 10,000gns. Exocet was knocked down to pedigree breeder, Douglas Shand, who manages 100 cows for Schivas Estates, at Ythanbank, Ellon, Aberdeenshire.

There were smiles all round too from the Duncanziemere camp, when the Clarks – Alistair and sons, Brian and Alistair – from Cumnock, Ayrshire, sold five bulls to average £9500, with a lead bid of 15,000gns. All their bulls were sons of Rawburn Jester Eric, the inter-breed champion at the Highland Show, in 2014, whose sons have already sold to 9000gns to average £6500. Superceding that price this time was Duncanziemere Judge, which is bred from the 2006 Highland Show champion, Duncanziemere Jody. Andrew Hodge and his daughter Emma, forked out the cash for this 18-month-old second prize winner, for their Rulesmains herd at Duns.


See this week's issue of The Scottish Farmer, out February 11, for the full report from the first week of the Stirling Bull Sales, featuring reports, leading awards and photos of the trade leaders from the Beef Shorthorn, Aberdeen-Angus and Limousin breeds.