The Charolais breed became the latest to suffer from the malaise in the cattle sector yesterday with average prices and the numbers sold at Stirling both falling.
The 139 traded to average £6,538, but that was down £410 on last year when 174 sold. The clearance was 73% from the 191 offered.
British Charolais Cattle Society chairman Alasdair Houston said the prices represented good value, especially when compared to the current rates for Charolais store calves.
“We’ve also still sold more bulls than any breed this spring,” he added.
Society chief executive David Benson said the best of the trade was for intermediate bulls. Females which were well presented also worked away.
Welsh vet Esmor Evans had a day to remember, selling at 26,000gn, 25,000gn and 15,000gn.
His leader was Maerdy Heartthrob, a July 2012 son of Maerdy Dynamite and Maerdy Beauty, a former Royal Show female champion and Royal Welsh supreme.
The bull, with a self replacing index (SRI) of +50 and terminal sire index (TSI) of +56, was shared three ways by the Bruces, of Balmyle, Meigle; the Campbells, of Thrunton, Alnwick, and Bob and Kay Adam, of Newhouse of Glamis, Forfar.
Mr Evans’s supreme and intermediate champion, Maerdy Hasse, is headed to Orkney to join the Baillieston herd run by Ronnie Baillie and sons Ronald, Magnus and James, at Biggins, Toab.
It was the most the Baillies have paid for a bull, their previous best having been 17,000gn for Mowaybraypark Umpire.
Hasse, with a SRI of +50 and TSI of +48, is a July 2012 son of the French-bred Darkvador and out of Maerdy Drege, a daughter of Maerdy Venus, one of the most productive in the 200-cow herd and whose sons have been exported to France.
Ronnie, who has 60 cows, said he liked Hasse’s width and strength. “He’s got great character to him too,” he added.
Iain and Rhona Millar and their daughter, Katreen, sold their reserve senior champion, Lochend Hickory, for a herd record of 22,000gn. Their previous best was 10,000gn.
Hickory, by the 10,000gn Mortimers Echo and carrying a SRi of +38 and TSI of +55, is out of Lochend Uptown Girl, who has also produced eight female calves. Her dam is the prolific Lochend Molly, now 18 years old and who has had 16 calves. Among them is Lochend Apache, a bull that has proved popular in the breed with 138 progeny registered to him in the UK.
The Millars, of Lochend, Port of Menteith, have 25 cows. Buying Hickory was pedigree breeder Adrian Ivory, of Strathisla Farms, Moolies, Meigle.
Sandelford Harrison, who has a TSI and SRI of +45, made 17,000gn from George and Gary Henderson, of Old Mill Cottage, 95 Priestland Road, Revallagh, Bushmills. Harrison, by Goldies Usher and out of Sandelford Seles, has had full brothers sell previously at 11,000gn, 9,200gn and 8,500gn. Buying him was Peter Vasey, of Holme Farm, Wetheral, Carlisle.
Jack Nicol’s Mornity Farms at Todpark, Alyth, paid 15,000gn for Maerdy Hwre to complete an excellent pay day for Mr Evans, who grossed £92,085 for the seven bulls he sold. Hwre is another Dynamite son and out of Maerdy Drat. He has a TSI of +48 and a SRi of +41
Father and son John and Raymond Irvine, of Inverlochy, Tomintoul, traded their reserve supreme and reserve intermediate champion, Ballindalloch Hero, a June 2012 son of Lochend Apache and Ballindalloch Cameo, at 13,000gn to Kenny Riddoch, of Corskellie, Rothiemay. Hero has a TSI and SRI of +42.
Also at 13,000gn was Allanfauld Hustler, a May 2012 son of Elgin Davinci and Allanfauld View. The bull, with a SRI of +30 and a TSI of +31, was bred by Archie and John Macgregor at Allanfauld, Kilsyth, and bought by D. Morrow, of 81 Killeague Road, Macosquin.
The Macgregors also sold at 12,000gn Allanfauld Highlight, a June 2012 son of Woodpark Elgin and Allanfauld Delight. The bull, with a TSI and SRI of +44, was bought by J.S. Howells, of Tycam, Llanwenog, Wales.
Martland Heavyweight, a June 2012 son of Beanhill Echo and Martland Clarabelle, from J. and C. Wylde, of Martland, Higher Road, Woolavington, Bridgwater, made 11,000gn to A. and D. Renwick, of Keppoch, Dundonnell.
The senior champion, Sackville Hercules, an April 2012 son of Balmyle Bollinger and Sackville Daphne, was bought for 11,000gn by Colin McGillivray, of Achnascraw, Glenlivet, from breeders B.A. and P.T Heath, of Culvers Farm Bungalow, Culvers, Hartfield.
Greig Farms, of Pitlochie, Gateside, paid 10,000gn for Edenhurst Heritage, a July 2012 son of the 10,000gn former Carlisle supreme, Ratoary Ferguson, and Edenhurst Francesca. The bull, with a TSI and SRI of +57, was bred by Mr Vasey.
David Walter, of Balthayock, Perth, traded Balthayock Haakon, an October 2012 son of Swalesmoor Cracker and Balthayock Carol, at 10,000gn to R.J. and B. Milne, of North Bethelnie, Oldmeldrum. Haakon had a SRI of +71 and TSI of +78.
The buyer of the 10,000gn Simmental bull, Denizes Dictator, was revealed yesterday. The son of Ashland Tornado is off to Muir of Ord to be put to use on the cattle herd run by Tom Morrison, of S.B. Morrison at Easter Urray.