A change in farm policy to concentrate more on commercial cattle breeding, will see the dispersal of the well known Smallburn Farms' pedigree Beef Shorthorn herd at Dingwall Auction Mart, on Wednesday, May 22.

Scottish Small Herd of the Year in 2018, this select sale from the Anderson family from Mayne, Elgin, comprises just seven cows with spring-born calves; five in-calf females, five heifers, and four bulls.

The herd which has triumphed to win numerous top awards at both local and national events in recent years, also includes top show winners.

Top of this list is Lowther Sally 245, an unbeaten show cow by Blelack Minstrel that secured the supreme award at Grantown last year, to name but a few. Grand-dam of last year's Highland Show champion, Smallburn Jethro which also scooped several other big wins, Sally sells with roan bull calf at foot.

The mother of Smallburn Jethro, Smallburn Fifi that also picked up several awards, will be up for grabs too.

Some of the star attractions amongst the younger generation include Smallburn Katie, a three-year-old heifer that stood junior champion at last year's Royal Highland and Smallburn Kylie, the lead female at Turriff.

While the family is selling their pedigree Shorthorns, the breed will nevertheless continue to play a key role in the production of home-bred suckler cows for Smallburn Farms' 400-cow commercial herd. The herd which comprises several breeds and crosses also includes a handful of Wagyu cross cows, yielding home-produced beef for the family's Allarburn Farm Shop.

Andrew Anderson also intends to breed a few top quality show potential beef calves again – a market which he has already been hugely successful in years gone by.