Despite a cracking trade for the senior bulls forward for the Simmental sale, juniors were unfortunately pretty much a hit or a miss with the result being overall averages slipped £500 on the year to level at just shy of £5000.

With increased demand for bulls ready to go out and work, it was the senior entries that attracted the majority of the top prices and clearance rates, while a good proportion of the younger bulls failed to sell dragging down the overall clearance to 63%.

Put in black and white, only 98 bulls of the 155 forward for sale were able to find new homes, to average £4975, which is down £503 on the year for 18 fewer.

Neil Shand, chief executive of the Simmental Cattle Society, admitted it had been a difficult day, but he also stressed the continued uncertainty within the industry coupled with the increase in feed and forages which were hitting hard on farm expenditure.

However, he also highlighted the growing demand for the breed to produce home-bred replacement females.

"Money's tight and there is so much uncertainty within the industry," he said. "People were looking for bulls that were ready to go and work and bulls that would serve more than 40 cows instead of 25, so there was a good demand for the senior entries, while the younger bulls were hard work.

"It was a very selective trade and bulls that were wanted were easily sold, but those that had not been selected were difficult. Most people were looking for good bulls for the cow job," he added.

But while clearance rates and averages were disappointing, there were no shortage of five-figure sales, with the sale witnessing a lead price of 14,000gns and a further seven at 10,000gns or more.

It was also a good day for the Islavale herd of Stewart Stronach and son Stewart, from Berryleys, Keith, who not only produced their third consecutive third February Simmental champion, but also produced four of the top nine highest priced lots to include the sale leader at 14,000gns. In all, the family sold eight bulls to average £7691.

Star attraction was Islavale Illusive 17, a 22-month-old bull by Atlow Dixon Ex91 – a former champion winner here that cost 15,000gns and has since bred sons to 13,000gns for the herd. Equally notable is the dam, Islavale Danielle, a daughter of the imported sire Clonagh A Super Star, that bred the 15,000gns Islavale Hogan sold here in October 2017. Illusive which stood fourth in his class at the pre-sale show, was knocked down to Northern Ireland breeder, HJ Warnock, Ballydoonan Road, Carrowdore.

Minutes later, the family sold the fifth prize winner in the same class, Islavale Invincible 17, for 11,000gns to fellow Northern Ireland breeder, Seamus O'Kane, Gillygooley Road, Drumquin, Co Tyrone. This big fellow is the third son sold by the €8200 Curaheen Giant, a bull bought at Roscommon after Stewart placed him junior champion, with his first two sons having sold to average in excess of £14,000. Curaheen genetics were also behind the dam, Islavale Bramble 2 VG88, which is by the €9200 Curaheen Bandit, a bull that has bred several five-figure priced bulls for the 100-cow pedigree herd that runs alongside a similar number of Simmental cross cows at Berryleys.

Giant was also the sire of the Stronach's senior champion and supreme overall, Islavale Islander 17, which made 9000gns selling to commercial producer, Murray Mitchell, Ferniemill, Windmill Road, St Andrews, Fife, while the dam, Islavale Briana, one of the most consistent breeders in the herd, is by top breeding sire, Popes Laird.

Another big seller for Islavale at 10,000gns was the third prize winner, Islavale Input 17, a May 2017-born son of Atlow Dixon. He is bred from the Glenturk Premier daughter, Islavale Butterfly, and again sold to Fife with pedigree breeders James and Angela Mill, Shawsmill, Cardenden, Fife.

The Macphersons from Blackford, Croy, again enjoyed a good day selling the first sons off their former Highland Show champion, Blackford Galaxy 15 – a son of Curlieu Knight out of Blackford Aero Ex91, a cow that goes back to the former record priced Blackford Trident that made 14,000gns in 1988 – at 11,000gns twice.

First to make this money for Billy, daughter Anne and her husband Raymond Baynes, was Blackford Island Warrior 17, an August 2017-born bull out of the top breeding female, Blackford Allegro Ex90, a daughter of Blackford Valmer and one of 24 cows in the herd. Island Warrior which stood third in his class, headed back up north with father and son team Colin and Robert Manson buying for their commercial unit at Brodieshill, Alves, Forres.

Ali Ross who is resurrecting the Munro family's Wellhouse Simmental herd based at Beauly, bought the second 11,000gns Blackford bull, Island Rock 17. Similarly aged, this unplaced entry which is related to the previous bull, is out of Blackford Fantasia, a Kilbride Farm Doubleaction daughter, out of the great breeding cow, Blackford Allegro Ex90.

Three other bulls sold for 10,000gns of which two were purchased by Stephen Allan, herd manager of Sir Edward Mountain's 150-cow Delfur Farms' pedigree herd from Rothes, Aberlour.

First was Dorothy Moffat and her daughter Louise's Innerwick Ivor 17, a September 2017-born bull and one of the first sold by Curaheen Gold Digger, a Curaheen Drifter son bought at Roscommon three years ago. His dam, Innerwick Freya is by the imported German bull, Promi, one of 70 cows in the Innerwick herd of which 45 are kept pure.

Later Delfur Farms went to 10,000gns again for the junior champion and reserve overall from first time consignors, Geoff and Kate Anderson, who run just a handful of females in their Quarryhill herd based at Myreside, Elgin. The couple who also work for the Dunbar family's 260-cow commercial unit at Pitgaveny Farms, received this money for Woodhall Instinct 17, which was bought at the Woodhall dispersal sale for 5000gns alongside his dam, Woodhall Eva Ex90, by Steinadler. He is by Islavale Frontier 14 and last year stood reserve champion at Keith alongside his mother.

Also hitting the magical five-figure bracket at 10,000gns was Denizes Impressive 17, an unplaced senior bull by the 10,000gns Denizes Fantastic, from Michael Barlow and sons, James, Thomas, Matthew and Sam, who run 60 pedigree cows at Four Oaks, Leyland. Their bull which stood junior male champion at the Agri Expo and the Stars of the Future, is bred from the Auchorachan Wizard daughter, Denzies Trixie-Belle 6, a previous calf show winner, and sold to Jimmy and Vicki Wood, buying for their Popes herd from Preston, Lancs.

Next at 8500gns was the reserve senior champion, Wolfstar Irn-Bru 17, an embryo born calf bred from the best cow in Ross King and his father Alex' Wolfstar herd from Ormiston, Haddington. A son of the AI sire, Curaheen Bandit which sold for €9200, he is bred from the Team Celtic daughter Wolfstar Flame, and sold to Elsick Estates, Mains of Newhall, Newtonhill, Stonehaven.

Heather Duff's Pitmudie herd from Menmuir, Brechin, was another in the money with an 8000gns sale to GM McFarland, Newtownstewart, Co Tyrone, Northern Ireland, for her first prize senior bull, Pitmudie Imperial 17. This big boy is a son of the 4600gns Hiltonstown Ferrari and out of the bought in Cairnorrie Nancy 2, by Milnafua Graduate.

Matching that price was Westridge Innoko 17 from Michael and Kevin Ward, West Mains, Newbigging, Carnwath. A third prize winner at the pre-sale show, Innoko is an AI son of Sterling Viking 2 and bred from the Grangewood Baron daughter, Westridge Baron Weikel 6. He headed north with JG Callum, Ashlea, Milton of Culloden, Inverness.

Top price for Jim and Patricia Goldie's Newbiemains herd from Annan, was 7500gns paid for the blue ticket holder, Newbiemains Interceptor 17. Senior male champion and reserve overall at the Stars of the Future, this lad is by Woodhall Fantastic and bred from the Ex90-classified Newbiemains Eyecatcher, by Blackford Albatross. Northern Ireland producer, J Farrell, Dromore, Co Tyrone, was the final bidder.

Billy Robson and sons Michael and Norman, who were celebrating 40 years selling bulls here from their 100-cow Kilbride Farm herd from Ballyclare, Northern Ireland, also made their presence felt with two sales at 7200gns. First was the unplaced, Kilbride Farm Italy 17, a homozygous polled bull by Kilbride Farm Galahad, purchased by JW Smith, Gladhill, Garmouth, Fochabers. Italy is out of Kilbride Farm Jolly and the first son sold from a daughter of the imported sire, Sneumgaard Imperator.

Minutes later, the reserve intermediate champion from the boys, Kilbride Farm Ireland 17, made the same money selling to Easter Tulloch Farm, Laurencekirk. This entry is by Crugmelyn Brenin, a bull bought privately after winning the junior award at the English National Show and has since bred the 11,000gns Kilbride Farm Foreman. Just as impressive is the dam, Kilbride Farm Eunice 165E which is a full sister to the 10,000gns Kilbride Farm Chieftain purchased by Colin Inglis.