Some 91 pedigree and cross-bred Luings and 329 adult head of commercial beef breeding cattle were forward for a spring breeding show and sale at Dingwall which attracted buyers from as far afield as Wales and Northern Ireland.

Top price amongst the Luings was 2750gns paid twice for 25-month-old bulling heifers from G MacRae, Kintail, purchased by James McCaig Farms, Wester Jawcraig, Falkirk.

The same buyer also went to 2600gns for bullers from FS Renwick, Lochbroom, while J, J and R Cameron, Monzie, received the same money for bulling heifers purchased by J and P Callion, Skreen Road, Dromore, Northern Ireland who bought the lead priced Sim/Luing heifers at 1620gns from Kintail.

Top price overall however amongst the Luings was 3100gns paid for a bull from Monzie which sold in a two-way split to Lochbroom and Shinness Luings, Shinnes.

In all, 47 Luing bulling heifers averaged £2084.36; 10 yearling heifers levelled at £858.90; 27 Sim/Luing heifers, £1105.61 and five Luing bulls at £3255.

The commercial sale was topped at £3000 for a Charolais cross heifer with Limousin cross bull calf from Smallburn Farms.

Smallburn dominated most of the sections topping the cows with calves at £2500 and £2750, paid for a Beef Shorthorn cow with Charolais cross bull calf and Limousin cross cow and Charolais cross heifer calf, respectively. The same home then sold a British Blue cross heifer with Beef Shorthorn heifer calf at £2600.

Leading the bull trade at £3700 was a Charolais from the dispersal from Bridgeside, Ardersier Mains.

Commercial bulling heifers peaked at £1520 for Limousin crosses from Coldhome Farm, Fortrose, while in-calf heifers hit £1750 for a Shorthorn cross from 15 Achnairn, Lairg.

Belted Galloways led the in-calf cows at £1820 from Luskentyre herd, Ise of Harris.

Highland females sold to £1000 on three occasions for cows with calves from Dalchiel, Dornoch and Rovie Lodge, Rogart.

OTHERLEADING prices

Luings – Bulling heifers – 2600gns Inverbroom (x2), Monzie and Kintail; 2500gns (x2) Knockbain, Dingwall; 2200gns (x2) Culmailly, Golspie. Yearling heifers – 900gns (x2) Monzie; 780gns (x2) 7 Ullinish, Struan.

Sim/Luing heifers – 1600gns (x2) Culmailly; 1150gns (x4) Tillyrie, Kinross; 1100gns Loggie, Lochbroom; 1000gns Heathhouse, Tankerness and Lochan.

In-calf cows – 800gns, 680gns Lochan.

Bulls – 3000gns, 2800gns Culmailly and Craigdarroch, Sanquhar.

Commercial breeding cattle – Bulling heifers – Lui X – £1320 South Clunes, Inverness. BS – £1250 Chapelton, East Tulloch. Lim X – £1150 Coldhome Farm. BB – £1100 Essich, Inverness. Sal X – £1060 Whitebog, Rosemarkie. Short X – £1000 18 Portnalong, Carbost.

In-calf cows – Sim X – £1780 Bridgeside. Sim – £1720 Bridgeside. Lim X – £1700 Bridgeside. Short X – £1580 Rychraggan, Drumnadrochit.

In-calf heifers – Short X – £1520 207 Migdale, Bonar Bridge. A-A X – £1400 (x2) Laggan of Clachaig, Nethybridge.

Cow with male calf – Sim X – £2300 Bridgeside. BB – £2200 Bridgeside. Lim X – £2200 Smallburn. BS – £2020 Smallburn. A-A X – £2000 The Arr, Lethen. Sal X – £1950 Bridgeside. Short X – £1780 18 Portnalong, Carbost.

Cow with heifer calf – BB – £2700 Smallburn. Lim X – £2400 Smallburn. Sim X – £2250 Bridgeside. BS – £2200 Smallburn. A-A X – £1920 The Arr. Char X – £1900 Smallburn.

Cow with twin calves – A-A – £2000 2A Back, Isle of Lewis. BS – £1700 Lochquoy, Thurso. Lim X – £1250 Knockandhu, Tomatin. BB X – £1180 Knockandhu.

Heifer with male calf – BS – £2500 Smallburn. Sim X – £2350 Smallburn. Sim – £2350 Smallburn. Short – £2150 Smallburn. A-A X – £2150 Smallburn. Lim X – £2100 Wester Bleaton, Bridge of Cally. Char X – £2100 Bridgeside.

Heifer with female calf – Sim – £2400 Smallburn. Sim X – £2200 Smallburn. Short – £2150 Smallburn. Char X – £2100 Bridgeside. BB – £2100 Smallburn.

Bulls – Char – £3100 Glengolly, Thurso. Sim – £3000 Smallburn. Lim – £2950 Kirkhill, Elgin. BS –£2400 Birkenburn, Keith. A-A – £2150 Broadmyre, Clatt.