Averages: Pedigree – 16 bulls, £4889.06 (+£412.24 for five more sold); 20 in-calf heifers, £2369.88; four bulling heifers, £1758.75; four cows and heifer calves, £1758.75. Commercial – 34 in-calf heifers, £1948.53 (+£393.84 for two more); 15 heifer stirks, £1193.33; 135 bulling heifers, £1340 (+£174.40 for 33 fewer).
Pedigree Salers bulls and commercial heifers met a sound trade at a breed show and sale at Castle Douglas, where both sections improved on the year.
Ever increasing demand for bulls to breed replacement easy-calving, low maintenance females saw males sell to 8000gns for the senior champion, Approach Farm Olly, from Yorkshire breeders, Angus and Kerry Gowthorpe and daughter Bronwyn.
Their February 2019-born entry from Approach Farm, Escrick, is by the French AI sire, Beguin and out a home-bred cow that goes back to one of their foundation females, Seamore Glitter, bought here in 2009.The dam, Approach Farm Libby, one of 45 cows in the herd, is by Manor Lane Firework, a bull bought from Carolyn Fox and former champion winner at the Great Yorkshire Show.
Olly sold to local pedigree breeders, David and Neil Austin, of Boreland of Girthon and Rusko Farms, Gatehouse of Fleet.
A further six bulls sold for more than 6000gns, with Gill and Malcolm Pye, Rednock, House, Port of Menteith, selling their best at 6500gns to Lamont Hair, Drumbreddan, Ardwell, Dumfries. Reserve male champion, this 20-month-old is by the 12,000gns Drumaglea Kes bought at Stirling, and out of the Rigel Picasso daughter, Rigel Daisy, one of the best females in the 150-cow herd.
Father and son duo, Roy and Adam Crocket, Deanfoot, Hawick, sold two of the lead priced bulls at 6200gns and 5800gns. Dearest here for the 20-cow unit was Bacardi PDiddi, the first son sold by the privately purchased Seamore Nitro, a bull by Seamore Ireland, bought as a yearling. Forking out the cash for this youngster bred from the Seawell Fortune-sired, Bacardi Izzy, was Northumberland breeder, Robert Lee, Lumbylaw, Edlingham.
The team's 5800gns entry, Bacardi 007, bred from the top show cow, Bacardi Miss Moneypenny, a Gulliver daughter that stood reserve inter-breed champion at Northumberland and Stirling, in 2019, also sold to David and Neil Austin. The sire is another privately purchased Seawell bull in the shape of Seawell Kitemark.
Four bulls went under the hammer for 6000gns to include two April 2020-born entries from Rob and Kath Livesey and sons, Iain and Rory's 100-cow Cleuchhead herd from Nether Firth, Melrose. First was Cleuchhead Pathfinder, by the Gulliver-sired Cleuchhead Dastardly, a bull retained for breeding that last year bred sons to 5500gns at Stirling. Pathfinder is bred from the Drumlegagh Brandon daughter, Cleuchhead Magalie 14 and headed home with J Lawrie, West Clunie, Cupar.
Selling to dairy farmer, JR Rankin, Badenheath, Cumbernauld, for the same money was Cleuchhead Pumba, which boasts imported French genetics on both sides. He is by the Beguin son, Noble, while the dam is the Halley daughter, Nadia, bought from the same herd as the sire.
Matching that price was the overall champion, Kaimburn Playboy, from Neil and Fiona Ralston and sons Greg (18) and Lewis (14) of Edgerston Trading, Jedburgh. Their April 2020-born bull shown by young Lewis, is by the privately purchased Bacardi Ladysman, another Gulliver son, and bred from the Seawell Highlander daughter, Kaimburn Lucky. The buyer was Malcolm Fleming, Magherafelt, Co Londonderry, Northern Ireland, who also bought a large number of the top priced commercial heifers.
The similarly aged, Drumaglea Performer also made 6000gns for Isle of Tiree breeders, Patrick and Judith Boyd, when selling to JS Aiken, Scotstonbank, Blyth bridge. The pedigree behind this transaction includes the French sire, Hibou, onto the Drumaglea Zenith-sired, Drumaglea Chloe.
The couple's production sale of females, many of which boasted French genetics, also produced several of the lead prices at 3500gns, 3200gns and 2900gns.
Topping this quality entry was Drumaglea Paula, an April 2020-born daughter of the French sire, Baron, bred from Drumaglea Blusher, the dam of the 7200gns Drumaglea Outstanding bull sold at Stirling in February. Paula sold in-calf to Hibou, to John Martin and Son, Swinlees, Dalry.
Alan Howatson, Risk, Newton Stewart, bought the two-year-old heifer, Drumaglea Opal, a Beguin-sired entry out of Drumaglea Carrie, for 3200gns. She also sold due to Hibou.
Just behind, on 2900gns, Andrew Orr and Lyndsay Wight, Lawhead, West Calder, bought Drumaglea Orla, another by Baron, but bred from the dam of the 6000gns Drumaglea Performer, Drumaglea Chloe. The service sire here was the French bull, Icare.
The same buyers also bought one of the equal top priced lots from the second production sale of females from Allison Devereux Farms, Co Durham, at 2600gns. Harperley Miss Oli, a March 2019-born heifer by Oliver, is out of Ninette and sold in calf to Jericho.
The second lot at 2600gns from the herd production sale was purchased by the pre-sale judge Johnny Wright, of Trayboyack Salers, Pinmore, Girvan. This was the similarly aged Harperley Mey Van, a Vanlooy daughter out of Nadia which also sold due to Jericho.
The champion female made 2300gns. This was Rigel Valentina from Terrence Pye, Rigel Pedigree, Middleton on Leven, Yarm. This 20-month-old heifer by the French sire, Lascaux sold due to Rigel Oligarch to L Howat, Cumnock Ayrshire.
Colin McClymont, Cuil, Newton Stewart, had the trade of the day amongst the commercial heifers, selling no fewer than 48 females aged between nine and 13months of age to average £1613.
Mr McClymont, also produced the champion and reserve pens, with the former, topping the bulling heifers at £2050. Three of these were daughters of Cuil Malta, with remainder of the champion pen being heifers by the privately purchased Bacardi Nitro. The pen sold to Mr Fleming, Magherafelt.
The same buyer also bought the reserve pen, another batch of bulling heifers at £1800 from Cuil. It comprised five heifers bred the same way as the champion winners.
Top price amongst the commercial heifers was £2300 paid for in-calf heifers from David and Neil Austin, Boreland of Girthon, purchased by John Young and Sons, Castle Mains, New Cumnock. The Austons sold 10 in-calf heifers to average £2140.
Heifers stirks peaked at £1600 from Andrew Brown, Drumhumphry, Corsock. They were knocked down to JW Bonner and Sons, Whitfield House Farm, Whitfield.
Other top in-calf herd averages saw Robert Lee, Lumbylaw, sell nine to a top of £2050 to S Brash, Kirkston Manor, Peebles and average £1883.33; John Martin and Son, Swinlees, sold five to average £1880 with a top price of £2000 to Messrs March and Lobban, Borgue, Kirkcudbright and Rusko Farm, Pulcree and Upper Rusko, Gatehouse of Fleet sold 10 to level at £1850 backed up by a lead price of £2100 to D Howat, Enoch, Girvan.
Auctioneers: Wallets Marts.
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