Confidence in Performance ‘Working’ Genes
Ram and bull buyers from Ireland, Wales, Wiltshire, Caithness and all points in between defied the doom and gloom of present day politics, along with a rare day of good weather, to make their way to Incheoch in Glenisla for the McGowans’ 12th On Farm Working Genes Sale.
This was the second year that bulls and heifers had been auctioned and saw seven bulls sell to a top of 6000gns to average £4320. Leading this section was Incheoch Jenson, a polled Simmental with good maternal EBVs. He was knocked down to G Sordy and Sons, Alnham Farms, Northumberland
Incheoch Jarvis, another homozygous polled bull then made 4800gns selling to Fulton Ronald, Duntuim, Aberfeldy.
Adopting a novel approach to the sale of heifers, 18-month-old Sim Luing bullers were offered in a silent auction where interested parties were given a buyers' number and invited to bid on eight different lots each with a fixed opening price and bids thereafter. This saw a complete clearance with several lots keenly fought over. The McEwans of West Mains of Colliston, Arbroath bought the top pen at £1275. In all 24 averaged £1073.
Slight apprehension about ram sales in the present agricultural economic climate was soon dispelled when 38 Texel shearlings were sold to average £968 (+£9 on the year) with a top bid of 2000gns given for the highest indexed Texel shearling in Scotland. This Glenway Yosemite son sold to Neil Crighton from Berwick upon Tweed, buying the lead priced Texel for the second year in a row.
The 39 Lleyn shearlings levelled at £1063 (+£130 on the year) from a lead of 2400gns from regular buyer, Roseberry Estates for Incheoch Hercules. Used as a lamb, figures from his progeny boosted his Lleyn section sale topping index.
A few New Zealand Suffolk cross Texel shearlings were also offered for the first time, which created quite an interest with all nine selling to a top of 900gns to average £581.
In all 86 shearlings sold to average £970.76, up £25 on the year for five more.
Auctioneers: United Auctions.
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