Strong demand for Luing cattle at the society’s 50th autumn breeding sale at United Auctions’ Stirling centre ensured a 100% clearance and improved averages in all sections.

The sale included consignments from regular consignors, two dispersals from Messrs Young, Balintore, and Messrs Haley, Lochan, plus a batch of unregistered yearling heifers from Dunalastair Estate, Pitlochry.

The top price was 3400gns per head, paid for the champion pair of Sim-Luing in-calf heifers from Andrew McNee and family, Woodend, Armadale, West Lothian. The pair of 30-month-old heifers by Finlarg Hendry was purchased by Messrs Thomson, Wester Tulloch, Midmar, Aberdeenshire who also went to 3100gns for similarly aged in-calf heifers from Robert McNee, Tealing.

Colin Little, East Bracklinn, was another in the money, selling a pair by Castle Rednock Innes, due in March to a Limousin bull, for 3000gns.

Registered in-calf Luing heifers sold to 3000gns for a polled pair by Culmaily Sheamus which sold due to a home-bred bull. Consigned by Messrs Raper, Todholes, Otterburn, they were purchased by Messrs Ingleby, Malling Farm, Stirling.

Luing bulling heifers peaked at 2800gns for entries by Harehead Walker from Alastair and David MacArthur, Nunnerie, Elvanfoot. A reduced number of Sim-Luing bulling heifers peaked at 2650gns for a pair from Messrs Halligan and Burke, Nether Stewarton, Peebles, purchased by Messrs Meiklem and Sons, Lochran, Blairadam, Kelty.

The first herd dispersal from Chris Young of the Balintore prefix saw a group of 25 mixed-age cows sell to 2700gns for a five-year-old cow with her Benhar Woody-sired steer calf at foot.

John Haley’s dispersal from Lochlan peaked at 2900gns for a similarly aged cow with a heifer calf at foot by Kirkland Zavi.

Dunalastair Estate’s consignment of 11 unregistered heifers from Pitlochry, sold to 1750gns to average 1614gns.

Herd Averages

Farm (No) Top (gns) Ave (£)

Luing in-calf heifers

Todholes (10) 3000 2678.00

Luing bulling heifers

Blackhouse (11) 2700 2606.00

Nunnerie (13) 2800 2077.00

Milkieston (11) 2200 2100.00

Craigdarroch (11) 2500 2100.00

Kirkland (15) 2300 1792.00

Lawesknowe (3) 1600 1680.00

Balintore (10) 2000 1638.00

Luing yearling heifers

Rannoch (11) 850 846.00

Unregistered Luing bulling heifers

Dunalistair Estate (11) 1694.00

Sim-Luing in-calf heifers

Benhar (12) 3400 3141.00

East Bracklinn (12) 3000 2503.00

Dirnanean (5) 2200 2310.00

Sim Luing bulling heifers

Stewarton (5) 2650 2394.00

Portmore (10) 2050 2011.00

Finglass (4) 1800 1851.00

Averages: Sim-Luings – 29 in-calf heifers, £2734 (+£437 for the same number); 24 bulling heifers, £1969 (+£583 for 43 fewer). Luings – 11 in-calf heifers, £2677 (NC); 76 bulling heifers, £2028 (+£651 for four less); 11 yearling heifers, £846 (-£1 for two more).

Ballintore dispersal – 25 Luing cows and calves, £2153. Lochlan dispersal – 24 cows and calves, £2034; three in-calf heifers, £2065