Growing commercial demand for Charolais cattle has seen a resurgence in the breed over the past 10 years as the society and its breeders continue to improve calving ease without losing the advantage of growth rates and carcase quality.
Speaking ahead of this month’s Stirling Bull Sales, Allen Drysdale, who is chairman of the British Charolais Cattle Society, and runs the Glenericht pedigree herd in Perthshire, said there has been a 22% increase on the year in Charolais bull sales across all markets.
“The Charolais breed used to have a name for not being the easiest calving due to higher birth weights than some other breeds, however this is an area we have focused on and are really reaping the rewards now,” he said.
“At a time where input costs are through the roof, commercial breeders are having to sit back and assess the best and most efficient strategy going forward to maintain business viability.”
The society is regularly seeing breeders selling Charolais cross bullocks around £1,400 per head at 10 months old with outstanding potential for finishers, giving them a significantly greater return on their investment.
‘There has been a 22% increase on the year in Charolais bull sales across all markets’
Father and daughter, Kenny and Skye Macgillivray, from Glastullich Farm, near Tain, are one farming business benefitting from the traits of the Charolais breed as a terminal sire.
They run a commercial herd of 110 suckler cows which are all bulled to the Charolais, with young stock sold between 8 and 10 months old through Thainstone.
“My father was the first person in Easter Ross to use a Charolais bull,” said Kenny.
“That was more than 45 years ago and we have used the Charolais ever since, because of the results. For us here at Glastullich, the Charolais cross cattle demonstrate a fantastic performance compared to anything else, and it is what the buyers are looking for.”
Calves are weaned at 6½ months old, producing weaning average weights of 376kg for the steers and 344kg for the heifers.
Steer calves are mostly achieving over 2kg day inside.
The family recently sold sixteen Charolais cross steers, aged eight to ten months, at an average weight of 471kg, which went on to sell for 291p per kg to average £1,372.50.
On the same day, five heifers averaged 418kg and cashed in at 273p per kg or £1,140.
More than 170 head of pedigree Charolais will go under the hammer at Stirling on Monday 20 February, including 161 bulls and 15 females.
Last year, the sale of 105 bulls and two females topped at 24,000gns and produced an average of £8,317 with an 89% clearance.