TOP quality calves with further showing potential from leading commercial cattle producers across the country were forward at the Thainstone Spectacular show and sale, where trade peaked at £6000, with an impressive 12 calves selling for or above £2000. 
The event, which saw a catalogued entry of 46 animals between the haltered and unhaltered sections, witnessed a clearance rate of 78%, when 36 of the 46 animals offered sold to new homes. 
John Angus, store cattle and breeding stock manager for ANM said that trade for the top price lots was “tremendous”. 
“Averages were down on last year but this doesn’t reflect the true trade as the cattle forward were much heavier, with many over 500kg. The average weight of heifers sold was 60kg higher than last year,” he said.
Although failing to pick up the top honours, Perthshire father and son team, John and Craig Robertson from Newton of Logierait, Pitlochry, came up trumps when they sold nine calves to average just short of £2500 and produced the top priced animal. 
Leading the sale at £6000 was their yearling bullock, Homewrecker, an 11-month-old Limousin cross which scaled 463kg. Having stood cross cattle champion at Perth and Aberfeldy, he is by Calogale Irresistable and sold across the water to Ireland with Gareth and Dermot Small, Kilkeel, County Down. 
The same home sold a further two calves for £2800 both by the same sire as the top priced animal. 
First at that price was a 12-month-old Limousin cross heifer which stood third prize yearling heifer and took the reserve championship at Perth. She tipped the scales at 458kg and sold in a two-way split to Scott Watson, Old Repeater Station, Muirdrum, Carnoustie, and David Work and son David, Mains of Dumbreck, Udny, Ellon. 
Bertie Paton, Knachly, Dykehead, Kirriemuir, went to the same money for the Robertson’s nine-month-old Limousin cross bullock which weighed in at 430kg and stood fourth in his class. 
Mr Paton also forked out £2200 for another from the same home, this time a yearling heifer which stood fourth.  
The same exhibitors then received £2600 paid by Blair Duffton, Huntly, for Baby Jane, a 10-month-old Limousin cross by Powerhouse Harlequin and which stood reserve yearling heifer. 
It was the Munro family however, Mark and Debby, and children Duncan and Tilly, which stood overall champion and produced the second top priced animal with a different entry. 
Their champion, Kiss This, a September 2016-born British Blue cross heifer which is a full sister to last year’s sale leader at £4600, was tapped out by judge, Robert Elias from North Wales, who breeds commercial cattle and runs a contracting business. 
“She just stood out amongst the others and is very good on her legs for the weight she is,” he said. 
“She’s full of meat too and will no doubt go on and do very well.” 
Weighing 572kg, she is by Invercharron Diablo and was knocked down for £2000 to Blair Duffton, Huntly. 
Mr Duffton then paid £4450 for the Munro’s seven-month-old Limousin cross heifer, Cracker. By Plumtree Fallon, she is a red ticket winner from Sutherland, Nairn and the Black Isle. 

The Scottish Farmer:

Limousin Cracker the seven-month-old heifer from the Munro family made £4450 

The Munros were back in the money when Jennifer Hyslop, Balluskie, Girvan, went to £2500 for Hard To Resist, an 11-month-old British Blue cross heifer bred by Brian Hall, Ainstable. She stood reserve champion at Sutherland and Caithness. 
Another Ayrshire buyer, Louise Allan from Arnsow, Ayr, paid £2350 for the champion heifer amongst the juniors from Gordon Begg, Vauldale, Nybster. By the Munro’s bull, Invercharron Diablo, this January-born British Blue cross heifer scooped a number of awards in the north show circuit. 

The Scottish Farmer:

Champion heifer was this British Blue cross from Gordon Begg, Vauldale, Nybster, which made £2350

Wilson Peters, manager at Monzie Farms, Crieff, also received £2200 for a second prize Limousin cross yearling heifer scaling 421kg. By Anside Hawkeye, she went home with the Works at Mains of Dumbreck, Ellon.
Two went under the hammer for £2100 with the first from Invercharron. That was the 17-month-old Limousin cross heifer,Candy Bar, by Bailea Cavalier which sold to A and IJ Anderson, Auchenalrig, Fochabers.
Matching that price was an 18-month-old Limousin cross bullock from  far travelled consignor, Balfour Baillie, Sebay Cottage, Tankerness, Orkney. A son of Goldies Idol, he was snapped up by Lisa Pidsley, Upton Ley Farm, Honiton. 

averages: 
19 heifers, £1976.84 or 439.5p per kg (-£70.18 or - 0.89p for five less); 17 bullocks, £1755.29 or 382.4p (+£358.93 or -0.19p for six less).


LEADING awards:

Unhaltered – Heifer born in 2016 – 1 and champion, J Robertson and Co, Newton of Logierait, Lim X, 434kg, £1280; 2, J Robertson and Co, Lim X, 444kg, £1500; 3, J Robertson and Co, Lim X, 457kg, £1800. Bullock born in 2016 – 1, J and G Dick, Northton, Cullerlie, Lim X, 494kg, £1180. Heifer born in 2017 – 1, Sheep Park Farms, Sheep Park, Bridge of Marnoch, Char X, 247kg, £1600. 
Haltered – Born before December 31 2016 – Heavyweight heifer – 1 and overall champion, J Munro and Son, Invercharron, with Kiss This, BRB X, 572kg, £2000; 2, B Baillie, Sebay Cottage, Tankerness, BRB X, 538kg, £1850; 3, J Munro and Son, Lim X, 568kg, £2100. 
Heavyweight bullock – 1, J Munro and Son, with Sherman, BRB X, 640kg, £1600; 2, B Baillie, Lim X, 573kg, £1350; 3, Miller Farms, North Lurg, Midmar, Lim X, 640kg, £1600. 
Intermediate heifer – 1, J Munro and Son, with Hard To Resist, Lim X, 478kg, £2500; 2, Monzie Farms, Gilmerton, Lim, 484kg, £1600; 3, J Roberton and Co, Lim X, 458kg, £2800. 
Intermediate bullock – 1, Monzie Farms, Estate Office, Gilmerton, Lim, 541kg, £1380; 2, D and R Durno, Auchorachan, Glenlivet, Lim X, 505kg, not sold; 3, WJ and GA Fraser, Little Croy, Croy, with Gunner, Lim X, 565kg, not sold. 
Light heifer – 1 and reserve champion heifer, J Robertson and Co, Lim X, 440kg, £2600; 2, Monzie Farms, Lim, 421kg, £2200; 3, B Paterson, Cairndale Croft, Sauchen, with Big Apple, Lim X, 429kg, not sold. 
Light bullock – 1 and champion bullock, J Robertson and Co, Lim X, 463kg, £6000; 2 and reserve bullock, W Robertson and Son, Fodderletter, Tomintoul, Lim X, 425kg, not sold; 3, Monzie Farms, Lim X, 453kg, £1400. 
Calves born after January 1 2017 – Heifer –1 and champion heifer, G Begg, Vauldale, with BRB X, 362kg, £2350; 2 and reserve heifer, J Munro and Son, with Cracker, Lim X, 296kg, £4450; 3, W Robertson and Son, with Wilma, Lim X, 257kg, unsold. Heavyweight bullock – 1, champion bullock and champion 2017 born, AC Fotheringham, Ballinloan, Dunkeld, Char X, 350kg, £1550; 2, J Munro and Son, with Timothy, Lim X, 380kg, £1080; 3, B Paterson, with Batman, Lim X, 370kg, £1100. Light bullock – 1 and reserve bullock, Monzie Farms, Lim X,  294kg, £1650; 2, J Munro and Son, Lim X, 305kg, £1180; 3, B Baillie, BRB X, 296kg, £1020. 

Auctioneers: Aberdeen and Northern Marts