Shorthorn bulls averaged £4,487 at yesterday’s Stirling Bull Sales.
A 75% clearance rate was achieved for the 15 sold, with averages down £634 on the year.
John and Matthew Thomson of the auction firm, Thomson, Roddick and Laurie, were delighted when their champion bull Shawhill Leroy, by the home-bred Shawhill Henderson and out of Shawhill Dewdrop, made the day’s top price of 12,000gn.
He sold to Ayrshire breeder, Duncan Welsh, West Broadmoss, Fenwick.
Meanwhile, a Royal Norfolk Show champion, Meonhill Leader by Elliot Danny Boy, from LEP Farms, Chidden, Hampshire, made the second best price of 6,000gn. He sold to JP Gray, Unthank, Whittingham, Alnwick.
The reserve champion, Charlesbury Mr Mackai by the Irish imported sire Creaga Kai from Messrs Park, Baird and Hamilton, Charlton, Wiltshire, made 5,200gn. He sold to A and C Farms, Langham Lodge, Rutland. The first bull in the ring made 5,000gns.
This was Burnside Lad by Dakota of Upsall, from William and Jill McAllister, Kells, Ballymena, selling to JW Taylor, Acres, South Ronaldsay.
Females sold to a top of 5,000gn for an 18-month-old heifer, Gordon Millicent, from Gordon Brooke Estate, Upper Huntlywood, Earlston.
This daughter of the 13,000gn Chapelton Braveheart was sold to Welshman G Price, Parcyderi.
Breed stalwart, Major James Gibb, Glenisla, Blairgowrie, sold the best of his heifers, Glenisla Crocus by Flight Lieutenant of Upsall, to 4,800gn to Walker of Netherwood, Banknock.
A pair of 17-month-old heifers from Duncan McDowell’s Castlemount herd at Newtonards, Co Down sold for 4,600gn each.
The first was the champion female, Castlemount Matrix Margo by Elliot Matrix, bought by T and J Linton Ltd, Sornfallow, Wiston, Lanarkshire, while G Price paid the same for Castlemount Matrix Strawberry by the same sire. Overall 48 females sold to average £2,426.