A YOUNG heifer with a great future ahead of her proved to be the star attraction at the Taylor family’s dispersal of the Moncur Aberdeen-Angus herd when the bidding skyrocketed to 22,000gns.

Moncur Laura T314 has always been an attractive heifer according to Russell Taylor, who ran the herd at Middlebank Farm, Errol, alongside wife Nancy and stockman Eoin Cumming, but were dispersing due to the younger member of the family’s commitment to the production of Mackie’s crisps.

The big and stretchy 20-month-old Laura was one of three embryos bought for 1200gns but the only one to hold, with her pedigree featuring Blelack Duke on to the female champion at the 2016 Royal Highland Show, Haughton Laura L026, a Rawburn Elysium daughter. This Laura ran with Moncur Preditor prior to the sale and having been pd’d in calf, sold to the Fraser family, Idvies Farm, Angus, for that 22,000gns.

A couple lots later a slightly younger Blelack Duke daughter sold across the water to NA and JDE Cogan, Killanuckey Farm, Castle Martyr, for 6000gns, changing hands free of the bull but with three straws of Retties Lazy Rascal. Her dam is Kincardine Castle Esther M861, a Blelack Krackerjack Lad daughter.

Two were knocked down for 5000gns with the first of these being Moncur Jill Erica N211, a daughter of the 15,000gns Eastfield Foreman just three months shy of turning six. Having ran and been served by the private purchase, Hallington Prince, she sold with her Prince-sired Jill Erica heifer calf at foot to AW Neish, Rodmead, Maiden Bradley, Wilts. Her dam is a previous Erica Jill by Hurdcott Emblem.

Matching that was another Foreman daughter bred from an Emblem cow, the rising four-year-old Moncur Edwina R258, which again sold with a Prince-sired heifer calf having ran again with the bull. Forking out the cash was Andrew Mylius of the St Fort herd at Newport on Tay.

Averages: 24 cows with calves, £3194; three in-calf heifers, £1908; 12 in-calf heifers, £4244.