Demand for suckled calves soared to new heights at a show and sale of spring-born entries at Thainstone, where the champion and reserve sold for £3600 and £3800, respectively.

Judge, Angus Greenlaw, Sheep Park Farms, found his champion in a 302kg Limousin cross heifer from Gary Bell, Haas-Side, Lockerbie, which sold to Gareth Corrie, Crossnamuckly Road, Co Down.

Read more: Prime sales to include Stirling, Thainstone and Carlisle

The reserve, a 374kg British Blue cross heifer from J Munro and Son, Invercharron, Ardgay, topped the sale at £3800 when selling to Allan Taylor, Woodland, Aboyne.

The 518 spring-born bullocks averaged 251.4p having sold to 459.6p per kg for a 272kg Limousin cross from Lower Cairnglass, Ardersier and to £1500 for a 426kg Limousin cross from Invercharron Farm, Ardgay.

Top price amongst the 384 spring-born heifers was £3800 paid for the reserve champion from Invercharron, or £11.92 per kg for the champion.

Outwith the show, 404 bullocks sold to 292.2p per kg for a 308kg Limousin cross from Clury Farm, Dulnain Bridge and £1495 for a 710kg Limousin cross from Westerton of New Rayne, Insch, to average 236.4p.

The 59 Aberdeen-Angus bullocks (59) cashed in at 218.8p having sold to 235p for a pair of 432kg from Daleigh, Advie and £1390 for a 618kg entry from Overhall, Ruthven.

Meanwhile 360 heifers hit a top of 281.6p for 412kg Simmental crosses from Cairntack, Belhelvie and £1430 for a 700kg Charolais cross from Auchnarrow, Glenlivet, to average 230.5p.

Some 55 Aberdeen-Angus heifers balanced out at 213.6p having peaked at 231.8p for a pair of 440kg from Main Street, Newtonmore and £1360 for a 738kg entry from the same home.

The 15 bulls were topped at 285.3p per kg for a 340kg British Blue cross from Hillocks Farm, Keig and £1190 for a 488kg Limousin cross from Milton Farm, Glenbuchat.

Read more: Special store cattle sales to include Thainstone, Stirling and Quoybrae

LEADING awards

Bullocks –Single-born before March 15 – 1, M Munro, Invercharron,Ardgay 426kg £1500; 2, G Bell, Hass-side, Lockerbie 434kg, £1280; 3, Hass-side, 350kg, £1150

Single-born after March 16 – 1, U Macdonald Lower Cairnglass Ardersier 354kg, £1150; 2, Pittentain Farming, Crieff 366kg, £1200; 3, Lower Cairnglass, 282kg, £1120.

Heifers – Single-born before March 15 – 1, Hass-side, 302kg, £3600; 2, Invercharron, 374kg, £3800; 3, Hass-side, 302kg, £160

Single-born after March 16 – 1, B Paterson, Cairndaie, Sauchen, 381kg, £1650; 2, Seafield Park Partnership, Park Farm, Nairn, 332kg, £2220; 3, Hass-side, 322kg, £1380

Bullock pair – 1, Davidson Farm, Crichie, Inverurie, 360kg, £950; 2, Davidson Farm, 284kg, £850; 3, WF Cruickshank, Clury, Dulnain Bridge, 302kg, £840, 308kg, £900.

Heifer pair – 1, Davidson Farm, 312kg, £1650; 2, Osborne Farms, Balmadies, Forfar, 318kg, £1220. Pen of four – 1, W Law, West Cruichie, Drumblade, 358kg, £970; 2, Kincraigie Farms, Lumphanan, 356kg, £1000; 3, Osborne Farms, Balmadies, Forfar 296kg, £820.

LEADING prices

Bullocks – Up to 300kg – Clury Farm (Lim) £750, 271.7p. 301-350kg – Clury Farm (Lim) £900, 278.1p. 351-400kg – Daleigh (Char) £1,020, Ashley Cottage (Lim) 269.1p. 401-450kg – Auchnarrow Farm (Char) £1140, Ashley Cottage (Lim) 259.8p. 451-500kg – Cornhill (Lim), Mains of Drumwhindle (Sho) £1270, Cornhill (Lim) 265.7p. 501-550kg – Westerton of New Rayne (Char) £1350, Craigroy (Lim) 264.9p. 551-600kg – Westerton of New Rayne (BB) £1370, Warth (Lim) 245.5p. 601-650kg – Westerton of New Rayne (Lim) £1465, 242.5p. 651-700kg – Westerton of New Rayne (Char) £1490, 227.8p. 701-750kg – Westerton of New Rayne (Lim) 210.6p.

A-A – Up to 400kg – Rosemount Farms £790, 204.7p. 401-450kg – Daleigh £1015, Leyside of Cookney 223p. 451-500kg – Leyside of Cookney £1065, How Farms 219p. 501-550kg – How Farms £1225, Binscarth 231.8p. 551-600kg – Overhall £1365, 232.1p. 601-650kg – Overhall 224.9p. 651-700kg – Barns of Ayre £1365, 207.4p.

Spring-born bullocks – Up to 250kg – Greystone (Lim), Ballaterach Farm (Char) £700, Ceol-Na-Mara (Lim) 326.9p. 251-300kg – Lower Cairnglass (Lim) £1250, 397.2p. 301-350kg – Haas-Side (Lim) £1280, 412.9p. 351-400kg – Pittentian Farm (BB), Harestone (Char) £1200, Pittentian Farm (BB) 327.9p. 401-450kg – Haas-Side (Lim) £1280, Invercharron Farm (Lim) 352.1p. 451-500kg – Whiteinches (Char), Harestone (Char) £1,200, Harestone (Char) 260.9p. 501-550kg – Burnside of Sittinghillock (Sim) £1150, 226.4p.

Heifers – Up to 350kg – Netherhill (Sim) £870, 260.5p. 351-400kg – Gowanwell (Lim) £965, 242.5p. 401-450kg – Cairntack Farm (Char) £1160, 281.6p. 451-500kg – Cairntack Farm (Char) £1270, 267.9p. 501-550kg – Gellan Farms (Char) £1355, 258.6p. 551-600kg – Bogentassie (Char) £1340, 237.6p. 601-650kg – Lylie Farm (Char) £1350, 216.3p.

A-A – Up to 450kg – Main Street £1020, 225p. 451-500kg – Main Street £1125, 230p. 501-550kg – Binscarth £1210, 220p. 551-600kg – Overhall £1200, 212p. 601-650kg – Auchnarrow Farm £1285, 213.5p.

Spring-born heifers – Up to 250kg – Lower Cairnglass (Lim) £1150, 599p. 251-300kg – Kincraigie (Char) £1020, 361.7p. 301-350kg – Haas-Side (Lim) £3600, Seafield (Lim) 662.7p. 351-400kg – West Cairnhill (Lim) £1450, Invercharron Farm (BB) £10.16. 401-450kg – Whiteinches (Char) £1060, Auchorachan (Char) 255p. 451-500kg – Whiteinches (Char), Belnoe (Lim) £1110, Whiteinches (Char) 244.5p.

Bulls – Up to 300kg – Balgairn Farm (Lim) £590, 265.8p. 301-350kg – Hillocks Farm (BB) £970. 351-400kg – Hillocks Farm (Lim) £1100, 275p. 401-450kg – Milton Farm (Lim) 243.9p.