Demand for top quality bulling heifers from Aberdeenshire producers, William and David Moir, soared at Thainstone, with prices peaking at £3900 to average just shy of £2200 for 95 with a 100% clearance.

The annual sale of bought in heifers from the brothers saw no fewer than six lots sell for £3000 or more with the sale leader at £3900, a 21-month-old black Limousin cross, being bred by Messrs Fowlie, Guise, Tough. She was bought privately last spring and sold online to Jack Smyth, Northern Ireland.

Second top price was £3700 paid by Gordon Cameron, Newton Cottage, Acharacle, for the first heifer through the ring, a 22-month-old Limousin cross bred at Uppermill Farms, Kintore.

James Alexander, Randalstown, Northern Ireland, bought two Limousin cross heifers at £3550, both of which were bred at Guise, and Shennanton Livestock, Corriebracken, Newton Stewart, paid £3500 for a British Blue cross bred by Jim Mortimer, Mill of Clinter, Finzean.

Shennanton also went to £3200 for a British Blue cross heifer bred by WD Mitchell, Bush, Aberlour, and to £2900 for a another Blue cross bred by Messrs Munro, Caplich, Alness.

Another heifer bought privately from Guise, last spring made £3000. This Limousin cross was knocked down to S Mason, Keasden House, Clapham, Lancaster.

A full sister to the Moir’s sale leader last year made £2800. This British Blue cross heifer bred by A MacDonald, Dalbuick, Carrbridge, headed home with J Gordon and Co, Waterside, Forbes, Alford.

Outwith the bulling heifer sale, Aberdeen and Northern Marts’ opening store cattle sale for 2021 and 31st anniversary, staged the same day met a flying trade with an overall average per head of £1151.12.

The sale of 1225 store cattle, young bulls, calves and bulling heifers saw 616 bullocks average 238p per kg having sold to 302.2p for 364kg Charolais from Burnside of Whitefield, Forglen and £1520 for a 776kg Charolais from East Mains, Lumphanan.

Heifers (497) averaged 228.7p. They peaked at 286.7p per kg for a 450kg Limousin from Achdregnie, Glenlivet and £1490 for 602kg Simmentals from Ranna, Tarland.

The six bulls sold to 227.5p for a 378kg Charolais from Burnside of Whitefield and £1190 for a 676kg Aberdeen Angus from Messiegate, Tankerness.

LEADING prices

Bullocks – Up to 350kg – Burnside of Whitefield (Char) £990, Midtown of Buchromb, Dufftown 287.9p. 351-400kg – Burnside of Whitefield (Char) £1140, Mains of Tillymorgan, Culsalmond (Char) 300p. 401-450kg – Burnside of Whitefield (Char) £1180, 282.3p. 451-500kg – Meikle Geddes, Nairn (BB) £1250, Kennieshillock, Lhanbryde (Char) 261p. 501-550kg – Meikle Geddes (Lim) £1320, 261.9p. 551-600kg – Bogentassie, Lumphanan (Char) £1400, 243.1p. 601-650kg – Clunycrichton, Banchory (Lim) £1440, 227.7p. 651-700kg – Clunycrichton (A-A/Sim) and Uppermill Farms, Kintore (Char) £1440, Clunycrichton (Sim) and Uppermill Farms (Char) 216.2p. 701-750kg – Clunycrichton (A-A) £1510, 199.2p.

Heifers – Up to 350kg – Lagavaich, Glenlivet (Char) £930, 270.3p. 351-400kg – Burnside of Whitefield and Harestone, Crathes (Char) £1020, Burnside of Whitefield (Char) 276.5p. 401-450kg – Achdregnie (Lim) £1290, Harestone (Char) 280.6p. 451-500kg – Kennieshillock (Char) £1200, 255.3p. 501-550kg – Knowehead, Kildrummy (Sim) £1360, 250p. 551-600kg – Knowehead (Lim) £1420, Midbigging, Toab (Sal) 248.2p. 601-650kg – Knowehead (Lim) £1460, Ranna (Sim) 247.5p. 651-700kg – Bogie Street, Huntly (A-A) £1,480, 224.2p. 701-750kg – Tullo of Garvock, Laurencekirk (Sim) £1320.

Bulls – Up to 400kg – Burnside of Whitefield (Char) £860, Bankhead Farm, Cupar (A-A) 207.7p. 401-450kg – Burnside of Whitefield (A-A) £870, 204.2p.

Bulling heifers – Moir Livestock – BB X – £3700, £3500, £3200, £2900, £2800. Lim X – £3550 (x2), £3000, £2700, £2600, £2550, £2500 (x5). Char X – £2100.