Adding bulls and heifers to the McGowan family’s well established Incheoch Working Genes Ram Sale was a brave move – but proved to be a winner, attracting an audience of just shy of 200 potential buyers.

This on-farm sale conducted by David Brown of United Auctions, included Simmental, Luing and an Angus bull an a selection of Sim/Luing heifers, with bulls presented in natural condition – a trend which Mr McGowan sees growing when bulls sold in sale condition often fail to stand the pace.

“The current bull sale system at public auctions is pushing breeders to produce bigger and bigger cattle, when most cows are already too big,” said Neil McGowan. "It is also pushing breeders to produce heavier, fed bulls, when many bulls don't last. We see this kind of sale as a way of breaking the mould and we were blown away by the number of people who came to see how it went.”

By the end of the day, Simmental bulls sold to 7000gns twice. First was the homozygous polled Incheoch Iceman, which carried a good set of performance figures and sold to Rob Wainwright from the Island of Coll.

Incheoch Icon, a polled bull with great maternal genetics and a good performance package, sold at the same price to Graham Burnett, Aldie Farm Partnership, Tain.

Sim/Luing heifers met a stickier trade with a top of £1200 and an average of £1154.

The mid afternoon sale was followed by the 11th Working Genes Ram Sale when a packed ringside saw trade peak at 2200gns for a Texel shearling ram purchased by Neil Crighton, Berwick upon Tweed, who was particularly interested in the longevity and maternal background of his purchase. The 40 Texels averaged £959.60.

Lleyn shearling sold to 1800gns on two occasions to average £932.96 for 41. The top two sheep, both of which were sired by the new stock ram, Equity which boasts good worm resistance figures, sold to pedigree breeder and vet, Giselle Brown, Borgue and regular buyer Dalmeny Estates, respectively.

A successful sale saw shearling rams sell to Germany, Caithness, Coll, Luing, Bute, Ireland, Devon, and Wales with many purchased by local and repeat customers.

The McGowans also donated 800gns – the proceeds from the first ram through the ring – to the Scottish Charity Air Ambulance. This sheep had been assisted to lamb by a Coupar Angus primary school pupil on a Royal Highland Educational Trust (RHET) visit.

Averages: Bulls – Seven Simmental, £5490. Overall, 11 bulls, £4639. Rams – 40 Texel shearlings, £959.60; 41 Lleyn shearlings, £932.96.