A top price of 6,500gn was achieved when the renowned Deveronside flock of Suffolks from the Mair family at Kinnermit, near Turriff, went under the hammer in Carlisle yesterday.
It was a bitter sweet day when the Mairs – Kenny Snr and wife Muriel, son Barclay and wife Lucy and their four children Kenny Jnr, Sally, Judy and Archie – dispersed their entire flock after deciding to focus their efforts on the family’s 370-head pedigree herd of Holstein cows.
Speaking after yesterday’s sale, Barclay said: “We are delighted with the sale but it was sad to see them go. But I could see a sparkle in the eye of some of the guys who were buying them and we can see that they are going to have fun with them.”
Leading the sale was a three-year-old ewe by Rhaeadr Roger Ram Jet and out of a ewe by Strathbeg Stan the Man, selling to S Cobbald at Acton Hall, Sudbury, Suffolk.
Next best at 5,300gn was a three-year-old ewe which stood breed champion at the 2015 Royal Highland Show. This one, which is also by Rhaeadr Roger Ram Jet and out of a ewe by Straithsla Speed, sold to R Fitton, Ryders Farm, Kearsely, Bolton.
Thereafter, a January-born ewe lamb by Strathisla Stifler out of a ewe by Rhaeadr Roger Ram Jet sold for 4,200gn to Julia Cornish of Buckfastleigh, Devon.
North-east breeders were out in force to support the Mairs with James Innes from Dunscroft, Huntly, paying 2,200gn for a ewe for his Strathbogie flock and Craig Anderson of Cranna Bridge, Aberchirder, Huntly, paying 2,000gn for a gimmer.
The averages were: 15 ewes at £2,002; 34 gimmers at £1,159.63; and 35 ewe lambs at £928.50.