Beef Shorthorn cows with calves at foot met a strong demand at Carey Coombes' major reduction from his Dunsyre herd from Carnwath, selling to a top of 6500gns and with a 100% clearance.

The sale, at United Auctions' Stirling centre was led by the four-year-old red and a little white cow, Dunsyre Hyacinth 22, which sold for 6500gns to David Leggat, of the Leggat Farming Partnership, Logiealmond, Perthshire. Hyacinth is a daughter of the 12,000gns Langalbuinoch Barney and sold with her five-month-old red and white heifer, Dunsyre Hyacinth 27, by Dunsyre Hamlet.

The same buyer bought two more outfits including Dunsyre Venus Opal 15 at 5000gns. A white daughter of Barney, she was sold with her fifth calf, the five-month-old roan heifer, Dunsyre Venus Opal 31, by Dunsyre Lord Nelson, at foot.

Second top price was 6000gns paid for the roan Dunsyre Leila 39, a Dunsyre Dreadnought daughter that sold with her fourth calf, the five-month-old roan heifer, Dunsyre Leila 60 by Dunsyre Lord Nelson. The buyer was JM Wightman, Maddiston, Falkirk.

Clark Farms, Carluke, then went to 5000gns for Dunsyre Lily 54, a red and little white cow also by Barney. She was accompanied by her sixth calf, the four-month-old roan bull, Dunsyre Patriach by Redhill Ferny.

Three entries were bid to 4500gns. First to go was Dunsyre Magic 18, a five-year-old red and little white Barney daughter and her five-month-old red bull calf, Dunsyre Pathfinder, by Lord Nelson. Dumfriesshire breeder, Lucinda Townsend, Moffat, was the final bidder

David Clark, Borgue, Kirkcudbrightshire, secured the next at 4500gns, Dunsyre Honeysuckle Opal 22, a similarly aged roan cow by the same sire. She changed hands with five-month-old red bull, Dunsyre Peregrine by Lord Nelson, at foot.

James M Hay and Son, Brechin, Angus, also gave 4500gns for Dunsyre Medwyn Maid 22, a four-year-old red and white Ferny daughter with her Lord Nelson-sired five-month-old red heifer, Dunsyre Medwin Maid 40.

The same buyers also went to 4000gns for Dunsyre Leila 43, a similarly age entry by Ferny with her five-month-old roan Lord Nelson-sired heifer, Dunsyre Leila 61.

Bute breeders, Robert and Paula McAlister, Kingarth, went to 4200gns for the Barney-sired red Dunsyre Eriskay 7, with her five-month-old roan bull, Dunsyre Prometheus, by Ferny.

Two other lots made 4000gns to include Dunsyre Honeysuckle Opal 15, a roan Dunsyre Asterix daughter was sold with her seventh calf, the five-month-old roan Glenisla Kilimanjaro son, Dunsyre Paladin. The buyers were J and J Gibb, Blairgowrie, Perthshire.

And, Jim Frame, Little Galla, Biggar, went to the same money for Dunsyre Vatersay 33, a four-year-old roan by Dreadnought that sold with her six-month-old red and white Kilimanjaro son, Dunsyre Pretender.

Averages: 30 cows with calves at foot £3531.50.

* United Auctions' annual sale of pedigree females staged the same day was topped at 2700gns by a Limousin heifer from local breeder, Andrew Burnett, Upper Spittalton.

His entry, Spittalton Panielle, a maiden heifer by Ampertaine Magnum sold to Andrew Ewing, Dunbretton, Annan.

Aberdeen-Angus sold to 2400gns twice from Aberdeenshire breeder, WAL Lawson, Scotsmill, Alford. Scotsmill Maggie Princess and Scotsmill Pink Peony both sold with bull calf at foot.

Auctioneers: United Auctions