Highland cattle defied all the odds with a strong trade for both bulls and heifers at the breed society’s spring sale in Oban on Monday – with a record average for yearling heifers leading the charge.
Prior to the sale, there were fears that the recently introduced ban on cattle and sheep exports to the rest of the world following an outbreak of bluetongue in the south of England would see the averages take a hit. But the home trade rallied to counter any of the negatives and indeed it could have been an all-round record breaker had the continental and Irish buyers been able to bid.
Auctioneer Raymond Kennedy worked hard to keep the sale on track and he commented afterward: “That was the most active home trade I’ve experienced at Oban for the breed’s females and it was nice to see a commercially driven trade for the bulls. We also had a 100% clearance for the females.”
It was a great day for a relatively new breeder, Oli Harrison, from Aimshaugh, Alston, near Carlisle, when he led the bull section with a 12,000gns sale for Glen of Applecross, a bull he’d bought with some females bred by the Applecross Trust. “I buy about 40 or 50 Highland bullocks every year to finish for sale to Waitrose and I liked the breed and the breeders so much I thought I’d start a fold and I now have 30 cows,” he said.
And what a start this three-year-old son of Angie Beag of Muingairigh gave him. This black bull had been used at home prior to the sale and he was knocked down to Morven Coghill, Blingery Farm, Wick, Caithness.
Angus MacDonald, son Fraser and daughter-in-law Carrianne, of This Farming Life fame, from North Uist, had the second top bull in Muran Buidhe of Ardbhan, which made 10,000gns. He was knocked down to Andrew Ewing, Drumbretton, Annan, who was buying him on behalf of Angela Long, of the Highland Spice fold, in Buffalo, Wyoming. Ms Long was impressed with the bull’s back breeding and the fact that he came from an organic herd, Mr Ewing said.
The bull will have semen taken off him in this country for export. He is by Gilleaspuig of Tiretigan, a great breeder for the fold, and is still going strong at 16 years of age.
The same home also got 5000gns for another by the same sire, Muran Erchie 3 of Ardbhan. This yellow bull was fourth in his class and was purchased by WGC Farming, Burnside, Delny, Invergordon.
A bull bred by the late Hugh MacPhail, of Callachally, Mull, was third top with a 7000gns price tag. Paying that for this son of Tomintoul 1 of Glengorm was RST Farming, Church Farm, Hardham, Pulborough.
Three bulls hit the 6500gns mark. First was the male champion, Harry of Sguir Mor, from Willie MacLean, of Benderloch. Sired by the former Royal Highland male champion, Eoin Mhor 30 of Mottistone and out of Fern 2 of Ardentraive – a cow which had bred heifers to 5500gns – this one was bought by Alfie Cheyne, Mayen Farms, Huntly.
Mr Cheyne was biggest buyer, purchasing 20 head to start a new fold on the estate that he has owned for 11 years – and he said local lad, Ellis Mutch, would be in charge of managing the new Mayen fold.
Making the same money was the unplaced two-year-old bull, Ringo Ruadh of Tippetcraig, from the Burns family, Tippetcraig, High Bonnybridge. Reserve male champion on his only other show outing at Stars of the Future in 2022, the son of Black Prince of Dumyat out of Lorna Dubh 2 of Craigluscar, was chapped down to Colledge Eschler, Landello, Wales.
The final bull at 6500gns was Prionnsa Dubh of Cross Reguill, from JS and R Harris, South Shields, Strathaven. A second prize winner, he goes off for work with Hope and Melness Farms, Braesgill, Lairg, Sutherland, owned by Anders Povlson.
Putting the 8000gns ceiling on the female trade was Claggorm 62 of Glengarnock from veteran breeder, Andrew Kirkpatrick, from Beith. Bred out of a family which had the female championship at the Royal Highland in 2007, this three-year-old heifer is by Ian Ruadh of Glenkinglass, a 3000gns purchase at Oban a few years back.
This one is off for ET work with Angus MacGillivray’s Highland Cattle Services, based at Benderloch, near Oban.
Alfie Cheyne’s shopping list included the second top female in the sale and the show leader, Ken Brown’s Una Ruadh 13 of Craigowmill, an in-calf heifer carrying to Lasgaire 21 Vom Lehstener Moor, from Kinross. She’s by Ruaridh of Ubhaidh and made 7000gns.
Heading with her on the same float home at 6500gns was the reserve female champion, the three-year-old Lady Ruadh 14 of Pollok, from a fold run by Glasgow City Council. Prionnsa 2 of Balmoral was the sire of this one. Also joining them was the second placed two-year-old heifer, Bachy of Cross Reguill, from the Harris team – she’s by Black Prince of Ranch and out of Bachy of Commore and was taken to 5500gns.
Grant Hyslop, Glentewing, Crawfordjohn, got the same money for Mollaig of Black Glen, a two-year-old who won Biggar Show last year, which went on to be senior female champion and reserve overall senior at Stars of the Future. By Eoin Mhor 30 of Mottistone and out of Mollaig 2 of Edgerston, she was bought by B and T Kitson, Hutton Rudby, Yarm, North Yorks.
The champion young handler from a big line-up of youngsters was 14-year-old Ruiridh Mackay, from Balfron Station, near Glasgow. He was judged ahead of Mack Young from the junior section. Junior handlers: 1, Mack Young; 2, Iona Park; 3, Ewan Brains; 4, Seamus Foster. Senior handlers: 1, Ruaridh Mackay; 2, Isla Mackay; 3, Page Windell; 4, Kelsie Prentice.
Two veterans of the breed celebrated their 80th birthday on the day of the Oban sale. Well-known stockman Ritch Thomson and veteran breeder David ‘Doc’ Dickson, of the Lyntoun herd, were given a round of applause from the ringside.
Averages: 11 two-year-old bulls £4772.72 (+£1657.37 for two more sold); seven three-year-old bulls £6525 (+£225 for four less); three yearling bulls £3535 (+£868 for same number). Four senior heifers £5381.25 (+£11.31 for same number); seven three-year-old heifers £4035 (+£1502 for two less); 18 two-year-old heifers £2893.33 (-£483.59 for six more); and 21 yearling heifers £2575 (+1134.10 for 11 more).
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