Scottish breeders snapped up one of the top priced lots at the dispersal sale of the Procters herd of pedigree Limousin cattle in Carlisle.
The dispersal of the Lancashire-based herd, held at Harrison and Hetherington‘s Borderway Mart, topped at 16,000gn twice.
First at this price, selling to the Irvine family for their Anside herd at Drummuir near Keith, was a September 2020-born embryo-bred heifer and her recipient dam.
The heifer – Procters Rdiamante – is by the 100,000gn Haltcliffe Vermount, and out of the 15,000gn Glenrock Diamante.
The other lot at 16,000gn, selling to Messrs Field for the Cornfield herd based near Burnley in Lancashire, was six-year-old cow Procters Jewellery with her May-born heifer calf, Procters Silver, at foot.
Jewellery is by Glenrock Highwayman and out of Glenrock Diamante, and her calf is by Carrickmore Maximus. She sold in-calf to Maximus once more.
Other leading prices included 10,500gn for four-year-old cow Procters Nelle and her April-born heifer calf, Procters Shantelle, at foot.
Nelle is by Haltcliffe Genesis and her calf is by Maraiscote Phil. The pair sold to Procters farm manager Gary Swindlehurst, Slaidburn, Clitheroe, Lancashire.
According to the sale catalogue, the Procters herd was being dispersed due to a change in farming policy at Procters Farm.
It also made reference to problems experienced using Ballinloan Jaegerbomb – a bull bred by Dunkeld breeder Stuart Fotheringham, which had its parentage brought into doubt when it was discovered his dam had been mistakenly recorded.
DNA testing later confirmed the correct dam and after initially being suspended by the British Limousin Cattle Society, Jaegerbomb was entered back into the herd book and sales of his progeny and semen resumed.
This was short-lived and the British Cattle Movement Service withdrew passports from numerous Ballinloan cattle, including Jaegerbomb progeny.
The Procters dispersal averages were: cows served and/or suckling, 37, £6,328.38; in-calf cows, six, £4,550; recipients with embryo calves, five, £5,922; serve heifers, eight, £4,987.50; maiden heifers, 18, £3,494.16; and bulls, three, £5,425.
Haltcliffe sale
Meanwhile, a production sale from the Cumbria-based Haltcliffe herd of pedigree Limousins topped at 32,000gn for a yearling heifer.
Haltcliffe Raquel is by Westpit Omaha and out of Haltcliffe Opal, which sold separately at the sale for 14,000gn.
Raquel sold to Messrs Corrie, Newtownards, Northern Ireland, while her mother – a daughter of Ampertaine Elgin and in-calf to Haltcliffe Olympus – went to Claire Ferris, Millisle, Co Down, Northern Ireland.
Haltcliffe averages: cows and heifers served and/or suckling, 13, £9,571.15; served heifers, six, £4,532.50; maiden heifers, 12, £4,655; and one bull at £8,400.