A good sound show of commercial bulls ensured the Limousin breed secured the highest clearance rate of all the breed sales with 70% of the numbers forward finding new homes to average £4652 for 33 – up £170 on the year but for 12 fewer sold.
The event, which was hot on the heels of the society sale at Carlisle where 61 Limousin bulls were cashed again at improved values, made for a successful few days.
“These are challenging times we live in and a lot of people have been uncertain as to whether there would be sales and have sold bulls off farm rather than bring them to the sale," Will Ketley, new secretary of British Limousin Cattle Society, told The Scottish Farmer.
“Some farmers are also cautious about going to markets as a result of the pandemic and have bought privately, but the main thing is we have been able to get live sales going and bulls have been selling well with a lot of commercial men bidding,” he added.
Homebyres Potter from Archie and John MacGregor topped the sale at 9500gns
Sale leader at 9500gns was Archie and John MacGregor’s Homebyres Potter, from Allanfauld, Kilsyth, which was bought as a calf at foot at the Homebyres dispersal at Carlisle, last year. This 18-month-old bull is by the AI sire, Fieldson Alfy and out of the Homebyres Vanhee daughter, Homebyres Lollie – one of 10 cows now in the Allanfauld herd. The buyers were JF and MB Teague, Buteland, Templehouse, Balerno.
Keeping it in the family, Archie’s brother, Jimmy and son Donald, from Dyke, Milton of Campsie, sold the second top priced bull, Dyke Pacman, a 20-month-old, at 8200gns to E and M Simpson, Whitehaugh Croft, Inverurie.
Jimmy and Donald MacGregor's Dyke Pacman made 8200gns
There was more top breeding behind this double F94L gene carrier, with the sire being the stockbull Goldies Lordoftherings, a bull whose first son, Dyke Olympian stood reserve senior here in February before selling for 13,500gns. The dam, Dyke Mull, is a heifer by Netherhall Gilbert which has produced a 13,000gns Dyke bull.
Another double F94L gene carrier from the same home made 5000gns when Dyke Phantom, was knocked down to TL Stirling, Auchterblair, Carrbridge. This January 2019-born boy is by the Haltcliffe President son, Dyke Triumph that has bred suckled calves to £7000, while the dam, Dyke Musical, is a Claragh Franco-sired cow that goes back to Dyke Vivais that has bred sons to 11,000gns and 9000gns.
Homebyres Plumber from Allan Campbell made 6000gns
The pen leader from Allan Campbell’s 50-cow Strawfrank herd from Carstairs, at 6000gns was another bought as a calf at foot at the Homebyres dispersal. This was Homebyres Plumber, a 17-month-old bull by Wilodge Cerberus, bred from the Homebyres Arnott-sired cow, Homebyres Greedie. Plumber sold across the water to Tiree with commercial producer Archie John MacLean and son Alasdair.
Selling for 5500gns was Anside Pikachu from the Irvines
Wilodge Cerberus was also the sire of the Irvine family’s pen leader from the 75-cow Anside herd from Braehead, Drummuir, Keith, when Anside Pikachu made 5500gns selling to the Scottish Government’s Bull Stud, Inverness. He is out of the Maraiscote Volt-sired cow, Shire Diana which was bought privately from the late Doug Edgar some 10 years ago and has since bred sons to 5500gns.
Another three bulls sold for 5000gns to include Maraiscote Panama, a February 2019-born entry from Ian and Moyra Nimmo and son Andrew's 150-cow herd from Bogside, Wishaw. He is by herd’s 50,000gns stock bull, Bassingfield Machoman which bred sons to 16,000gns at Carlisle. Equally impressive, his dam, Maraiscote Gucci, a former junior inter-breed champion at the Great Yorkshire, by Goldies Comet is a full sister to three bulls that have sold at five-figure prices. Panama, heads up to Orkney with Terry Coghill, Muce.
Matching that price was Burnbank Performer from local breeders, Dougie and Lynda Graham and sons John and James, Mains of Burnbank. Their bull, by the AI sire Mereside Lorenzo, is bred from the Buchaam Funambule daughter Burnbank Izzy which is a maternal sister to the 11,000gns Burnbank Northernlad. This February2019-born entry headed home with DS Stark and Sons, South Ballo, Inchture, Perthshire.
The last of the 5000gns bids came for Lomond Prince from Andrew Orr's 20-cow herd from Kinross, which sells all the way down to Pembrokeshire with C Davies, Glenyfer. This 18-month-old is by Whinfellpark Lomu and out of the Wilodge Cerberus daughter, Lomond Lottie.
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