It was very much ladies day at the annual show and sale of Young Farmers’ overwintered cattle at United Auctions’ Huntly Mart, when two teenage girls scooped the top honours.
The supreme champion title and winner of the Harold Murray cup, as judged by Gary Raeburn of Rowanbank, was awarded to 14-year-old Keith YFC member Adele Irvine from Mains of Inverourie, Tomintoul, Ballindalloch.
Miss Irvine, who was competing in the competition for the first time, reigned supreme with a 12-month-old Charolais cross bullock which was bred on Tiree by AJ MacLean, Heylipol Farm, Scarinish.
Purchased last year for £1,040, this bullock weighing 605kg (1,334lbs) is by Elgin Lightning, bred out of a British Blue cross cow and sold for the top price of £1,390 to Bill Cameron, Burnside of Edingight, Grange, Keith.
The reserve championship honours went to another first-time exhibitor, this time Strichen JAC member Isla Brown from Commonty, New Deer.
Selling for £1,240 to Messrs Irvine, Newton of Tulloch, Inverurie, was a 13-month-old Limousin cross heifer scaling 545kg (1,202lbs) which Isla purchased last October for £745 from breeder J Sheed, Aldunie, Cabrach.
Isla also sold her second prize bullock for £1,340 to Alan Meston, Chapelton, Stonehaven. This was a February 2018-born British Blue cross bred by Gaich Farms, Grantown-on-Spey, which she purchased last October for £990.
Crossing the weighbridge at 670kg (1,477lbs), this bullock went on to produce the best daily liveweight gain of 1.42kg (3.13lbs) per day for Isla, while her Limousin cross heifer produced the highest gross margin of £2.82 per day.
Sally Mair from Kinnermit, Turriff, scooped the third prize bullock, second prize and third prize heifer tickets with British Blue crosses bred at Drum North, Rhynie.
Outwith the show and sale of Young Farmers’ calves, the firm sold 455 store bullocks to average 226.1p per kg and 431 store heifers which levelled at 216.9p.
All classes were easily cashed, with bullocks topping at 278.4p for a pen of Charolais crosses from Cluseburn, Inverbervie and £1,285 for Limousin crosses from Upper Tillathrowie, Gartly.
Heifers peaked at 253.1p for Limousin crosses from Greystone, Turriff, while a Limousin cross from Logie, Gamrie, made £1,240.
The 22 OTM cattle averaged 138.5p and sold to £1,460 or 168.6p for a Simmental from Corskie, Garmouth.