A British Blue cross heifer commanded the top price of £4,600 at the 25th annual Thainstone Spectacular.
The cheekily-named Kiss My… was put forward by Mark and Debbie Munro, from Invercharron Farm, Ardgay, Sutherland.
Prior to attending the premier commercial calf show and sale, which is conducted by Aberdeen and Northern Marts, the 525kg heifer stood supreme overall champion at the Latheron, Caithness and Sutherland shows, and cross champion at Grantown and Nairn.
By the AI British Blue sire, Tweeddale Guinness, and out of a home-bred Limousin cross cow, she stood reserve senior heifer at the pre-sale show before being snapped up by by M Harryman Swainsea Barn Farm, Swainsea Lane, Pickering.
The next best price of the day of £3,800 was achieved by the pre-sale show champion, as judged by Bob Kingston, of The Crown Inn, Somerset.
Mr Kingston, who drove up through the night with his son Mike after their flight was delayed, described his champion as a “lovely show heifer” and said it had “meat in all the right places”.
He was referring to a home-bred August-2015 born pure Limousin heifer, weighing 450kg, from Stuart Fotheringham, of Ballinloan, Dunkeld.
The un-named entry previously stood calf champion at Perth. She sold yesterday to regular Spectacular buyer Phil Sellers, of Thorpe Tilney Farm, Lincoln.
Next best at £3,400 was a fourth-prize winning June-2015 born British Blue cross heifer from Rory Hood, Middlehill Farm, Glen Clova. She weighed in at 560kg and sold to regular show calf purchaser Blair Duffton, of 2 Bogie Street, Huntly.
Thereafter £3,000 was achieved twice.
First at this price was a second-prize winning heifer from Orkney breeder Balfour Baillie, of Sebay Cottage, Tankerness.
Mr Baillie’s home-bred February-born Limousin cross weighing 295kg, by Goldies Idol and out of a Limousin cross cow, previously stood overall cattle champion at the East Mainland Show and black and blue cross champion at the Orkney County Show. She heads north to Dunbeath Farms Ltd, Caithness.
The other lot at £3,000 was a home-bred March-born Limousin cross heifer called Wendy from Balfour’s father Jim Baillie, also of Sebay Farm, Tankerness.
By Goldies Idol and out of a Limousin cross, she weighed 277kg and previously stood cross champion at the Orkney County Show. She sold to Donald Morrison, of Cairn Nulla, Burnside, Kinlochbervie.
Other leading prices included £2,800 for the reserve junior champion heifer from Gordon Hendry, of Mains of Auchinderran, Aultmore, Keith.
The home-bred January-born Charolais cross called Ginger Spice weighed 352kg and sold to JCB Commercials, Northern Ireland. She previously stood champion at Turriff, reserve at Grantown and reserve commercial champion at the Scottish Beef Supreme Cattle Championship.
Another lot at £2,800 came from the overall champion consigner, Stuart Fotheringham.
His second-prize winning October-2015 born Charolais heifer, which weighed 375kg, sold to S Bett, Binn Farm, Glenfarg, Perth.
Other prices for champion lots were: £1,550 for the champion senior bullock, £2,500 for the reserve senior bullock, £1,700 for the reserve junior bullock and £2,000 for the junior heifer champion. The overall junior champion – a home-bred January-born Limousin cross bullock from John and Craig Robertson of Newton of Logierait, Pitlochry – went unsold.
In all Aberdeen and Northern Marts sold 47 of the 52 beasts forward.
Auctioneers put 24 heifers through the ring to average £5.28 a kg and £2,047.08 a head – last year 23 lots sold to average £4.63 a kg and £2,054.35 a head.
Bullocks sold to an average of £3.41 a kg and £1,396.36 a head for 23. This compares to £3.62 a kg and £1,652.38 a head at last year’s sale.
Auctioneer John Angus said: “There was a very good top end and they were very keenly bid for.”
RESULTS
UNHALTERED
Mark and Debbie Munro, Invercharron Farm, Ardgay, Sutherland, with a home-bred Limousin cross heifer called Lager Top, by Bailea Cavalier and out of a British Blue cross cow.
HALTERED
Animals born on or before December 31, 2015:
Bullock: Grant Morrison, Newtack, Grange, Keith, with a home-bred October-2015 born Limousin cross called Lord Moo Moo, by Haltcliffe Donny. He was reserve commercial champion at New Deer and reserve male champion at Turriff. He is a full brother to the successful 2015 show heifer Lady Moo Moo.
Reserve – John and Craig Robertson, Newton of Logierait, Pitlochry, with a home-bred October-2015 born Limousin cross, by Powerhouse Harlequin and out of a British Blue cross cow. He was champion at Aberfeldy.
Heifer: Stuart Fotheringham, Ballinloan, Dunkeld, with a home-bred August-2015 born Limousin heifer, which stood calf champion at Perth earlier in the month.
Reserve – Mark and Debbie Munro, Invercharron Farm, Ardgay, Sutherland, with home-bred September-2015 born British Blue cross called Kiss My. . . By the AI British Blue sire, Tweeddale Guinness, and out of a home-bred Limousin cross cow, she was supreme overall champion at the Latheron, Caithness and Sutherland shows, and cross champion at Grantown and Nairn.
Champion: Stuart Fotheringham with a home-bred Limousin heifer.
Animals born after January 1, 2016:
Bullock: John and Craig Robertson with a home-bred January-born Limousin cross, by Powerhouse Harlequin and out of a British Blue cross cow. It was champion steer and reserve calf champion at Perth.
Reserve – Graham Cameron, Wester Bonhard, Scone, Perth, with a home-bred March-born Limousin cross by a French bull called Cristal and out of a Limousin cross cow. It stood third at Kirriemuir and Perth and second at Braco. Mr Cameron was on his first trip to the Spectacular.
Heifer: Graham Cameron with a home-bred March-born Limousin cross by the 4,000gn Anside Hindu and out of a Limousin cross cow. She was first at Kirriemuir and Perth, and second at Braco.
Reserve – Gordon Hendry, Heads of Auchinderran, Aultmore, Keith, with a home-bred January-born Charolais cross called Ginger Spice. She is by Goldies Impressive and out of a British Blue cross cow. She stood champion at Turriff, reserve at Grantown and reserve commercial champion at the Scottish Beef Supreme Cattle Championship.
Champion – John and Craig Robertson with a home-bred January-born Limousin cross bullock.
Overall champion – Stuart Fotheringham with a home-bred Limousin heifer.
